Just the usual crap service for inflation busting fare rises. Its been this way since the chavs and wasters saddled us with nulab.

phil, loondon, uk

It drives me to look for that new job which will cost me the price of a car, but better to be on the road than be rail-roaded by soaring costs and stressful commuting from the SE to London.

One more available seat for SE trains coming soon, oh sorry, I don't get a seat so what am I talking about.

I'll be breaking out my bluetooth and cd collection for the new car though............... Now what colour car shall I buy?

DJB, LONDON,

This is daylight robbery for all train commuters, privatisation has made commodities more expensive so to keep shareholders happy. We will need to build more roads because of this price hike. It is unnecssary.

P.Simspon, Leics, Leics

Why hit the commuters? There are far too many reductions/discounts for day trippers etc and for some advance bookings it is even cheaper to travel first class. Remove these substantial discounts to pay for the improvements or is this too simple an idea. Still give discounts but not so huge. I travelled to Mnnchester first class for £43 saving something in the region of £180 on a standard first class ticket. Thats just one example of the hundreds of thousands of journeys discounted.
It makes my blood boil to know that I am subsidising these discounts and am given nothing in return except shabby trains, overcrowding etc. For just over £4000 a year I can travel cattle class to and from work every day while Auntie Mavis can visit cousin Beryl in luxury with complimentary drinks and food for £40!!

Beverley Dawes, Milton Keynes, Bucks

That just means I may as well keep my car since it is more convenient and with a family of 4 it is cheaper to travel.

SM, UK,

This comes at a time when first time buyers and young families are being encouraged out of London to live in places like the East Midlands and commute into our jobs, due to the housing crisis.

This will hit those priced out working families hard, especially women trying to maintain their careers in part-time employment - already there is no part-time season ticket, add nursery fees and reduction in earnings through part-time work .This news today is just another ingredient in the recipe for social crisis, noone seems to look at the big picture.

Tara, London,

I am sure this fare hike will attract hundreds of thousands of people to abandon their cars and take the train instead. Still w e haveto keep the Rail Company bosses in the luxury to which they have become accustomed, while the gullible taxpayers keep the Rail shareholders bonuses coming in. Thank goodness for National Express and MegaBus.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

Manchester to London - a few weeks back a friend of mine told me she had bought single tickets,all taxes and extras included,with British Airways for £40,on the weekend before Xmas.
An hour later she saw she could have got the same tickets from BMI baby for £30 each trip.
The airlines are slowly getting their act together,and you ar guaranteed a seat as well and it is speedier.

alan maddox, wirral , england

Indeed as I have just discovered, it will cost me ~£85 to get the train from Cambridge to Plymouth this Christmas. I will instead get a flight from Stansted to Newquay and drive the rest of the way for a paltry £9.99 (+tax).

When I made inquiries about this train journey, I was told I could not book a seat on the train from Paddington to Plymouth because the train companies advertise them as "full" in October and November, in order to release them back onto the market in December at a much greater price. The whole system is an absolute rip-off and a complete mess. I think it's about time we invited the French or Germans to come and run our railways for us.

Robin, Cambridge, UK

So lets see if I have got this right.
Oil prices are up, so that effects petrol and shop prices, Gas prices are up, rail fares are up, council taxes are up, and all above inflation.
Yet it is poor Mr & Mrs Joe public that have to suffer, as interest rates are up because of inflation (of which we have no control of, as we have to eat, get to work and not freeze to death) and we cannot ask for decent wage rises because of inflation and the need to keep it under control.
So, that means we are damned if we do, and damned if we dont!

Pete, St Albans, England

Sweet heavens! As if it wasn't expensive enough to travel by rail as it is! I've travelled by rail in europe, and you can go from one end of italy to the other for £20. It's cheaper to get a plane from Southampton to Manchester than it is to go by rail. Prices should change, but in the opposite direction.

Nik, Woking, England

What ATOC conveniently don't say, and the government remains silent on as well, is how much profits are rising at the same time. Train companies can make the investment without raising fares, and everyone knows it. The better service is already owed, it should not be used as an argument for fares rising every year - they are still making money from last year's inflation-busting rises, after all - and the year before that, and the year before that...

This money is just to line the shareholders' profits.

Alison, London,