Rail fares on the rise

Stephen Joseph, the Chief Executive of the independent charity, the Campaign for Better Transport joined us in our London studio to discuss the rise in rail fares.

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has defended the way rail companies apply the fare rises that Government policy allows them. While rail fares can only go up by inflation plus 1% that is the average figure which is why some fares have risen by much more today.

Edward Welsh, ATOC spokesman told ITV News: "Just as they might increase them above 4.2% they have to de-crease them elsewhere.

"It's like a traditional pair of kitchen scales. The Government ensures that all the fares come back to 4.2%."

Train operators say the rise in rail fares will allow investment in the infrastructure, but the RMT Union say passengers are facing a bleak future.

Transport Minister Norman Baker has told ITV News that he would like to see the end of above inflation rail fare increases but, "we have to invest in the future."

Shadow Transport Minister Maria Eagle told ITV News the rail fare increases represented a broken promise from David Cameron:

"When Labour started doing this ten years ago we weren't in the middle of a double-dip recession with austerity and everybody's living standards being squeezed in the way in which they are now.

"As it became apparent that times were getting tough what Labour did was stop the train companies from charging above the cap.

"So today what people have found going to renew their tickets is that David Cameron promised them they'd be paying no more than 1% above inflation, many people have actually found their ticket price going up by 9%.

"This is a broken promise from David Cameron."