The cost of travelling to work by train could soon become prohibitively expensive for some commuters as fares in some areas are set to shoot up by twice the level of inflation. The retail price index is expected to be announced as 2.8 per cent which means that commuters in England can expect tickets to go up by this plus three per cent.

The latest hike in the UK will mean that each year for the past decade train fares have risen above the rate of inflation and resulted in some of the most expensive rates in Europe.

Over the years the government has moved the responsibility for improving rail services away from the taxpayer and onto the customer.

There are currently plans for large scale rail improvements which is why the price of train tickets is constantly being inflated. According to spokesman for Campaign for Better Transport, Stephen Joseph, the current government policy could see the cost of travelling by rail rise at three times the rate of wages.

Mr Joseph explained that it was unrealistic to ask commuters to pay more money for travel at a time when the UK’s economy isn’t moving anywhere. He has called on the government to do something to help commuters who are already paying up to 10 per cent of their salaries to get to and from work.