Anger over rail fare rise

Rail passengers in Shropshire will face an "unfair and unjustified" increase in costs as the price of tickets rockets this week.

While regulated fares - which include most season tickets - have gone up by an average of 4.8 per cent some other fares have risen by more than nine per cent. For the Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury line, standard fares have gone up by 5.1 per cent.

An Arriva Trains spokeswoman said a standard day return would cost £13.70 from January 2, an increase of 70p, while a saver return ticket will now cost £21.70 - an increase of 50p.

Fares for London Midland, which oversees routes in Shropshire, including the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line, have also gone up. There is a 3.8 per cent increase for cheap day returns in the former Centro West Midlands area.

The saver fare from Shrewsbury to Birmingham will see a 4.7 per cent increase from £12.20 to £12.80 while the cheap day return goes up 4.8 per cent from £9.90 to £10.40.

Alex Hynes, commercial director of London Midland, said: "Our fares remain very good value and passengers are going to start seeing real physical improvements at many of their stations from 2008, followed by the introduction of the first of our new £243 million fleet of trains, which also starts next year."

But Mansel Williams, chairman of the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth rail liaison committee, the Shrewsbury to Chester railway liaison committee and the chairman of the Shrewsbury to Swansea rail forum, said: "These above-inflation increases in fares are only acceptable if investment follows."

"This means giving us guaranteed four-car units on the Chester to Shrewsbury to Birmingham routes and the Birmingham to Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth route long-term."

Russell Mulford, president of the Shropshire Railway Society, said: "This will have a depressing effect on those who might be thinking of switching from car to rail."

Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, said: "This will lead to passengers having to dig deep into their pockets. These unjustified and unfair rises will rankle."