Inflation figures bring rail fare misery for commuters

It is the day rail travellers dread. Today the planned increase in regulated fares was set by the inflation rate. Train companies can now increase a vast range of ticket prices by 6.2%.

That's not the end of the bad news, under a system called "flexing" some fares can rise by more than 11% (as long as other fall by a similar level).

Fares in England have now gone up by more than inflation for 10 years. Some commuters are spending 15% of their income on train tickets.

With household budgets so tight these rises will hit people, that are just trying to get to work, very hard.

Some season tickets will cost up to £1,000 by 2015. Many passengers will be asking why they must pay more, but do not seem to get more in terms of improvements.

The rises being talked about today are due to be implemented in January, but some hope they will never happen.

Last year a similar rise was stopped by the Chancellor in his autumn statement. There are signs that behind the scenes there are negotiations to secure a similar stay of execution this year as well.