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| Rail fare rises come into effect | Rail fare rises come into effect |
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| Rail fare rises in England and Wales have come into effect, with trade unions complaining that the increases continue to outstrip wage growth. | Rail fare rises in England and Wales have come into effect, with trade unions complaining that the increases continue to outstrip wage growth. |
| Regulated fares - including season tickets - have risen by up to 2.5%, while the average fare of a rail ticket in Britain will increase by 2.2%. | Regulated fares - including season tickets - have risen by up to 2.5%, while the average fare of a rail ticket in Britain will increase by 2.2%. |
| The government said fares were crucial to funding rail modernisation. | The government said fares were crucial to funding rail modernisation. |
| Meanwhile, commuters have faced rail delays in East Anglia, Wales and between London and Crewe. | Meanwhile, commuters have faced rail delays in East Anglia, Wales and between London and Crewe. |
| The Campaign for Better Transport said the cost of a Milton Keynes to London season ticket had risen by 23.5% - or £930 - since January 2010. The price of a 2015 ticket is £4,888. | The Campaign for Better Transport said the cost of a Milton Keynes to London season ticket had risen by 23.5% - or £930 - since January 2010. The price of a 2015 ticket is £4,888. |
| The group said this was one of a number of fares to increase by about four times more than average wages over the five-year period. | The group said this was one of a number of fares to increase by about four times more than average wages over the five-year period. |
| The annual rise in ticket prices follows news of an agreement by rail companies to direct travellers to the cheapest deal for their journey. | The annual rise in ticket prices follows news of an agreement by rail companies to direct travellers to the cheapest deal for their journey. |
| A summit last month with representatives from across the rail industry - including train operators - saw agreement in principle to a new code of practice, which has yet to be fully drafted. | A summit last month with representatives from across the rail industry - including train operators - saw agreement in principle to a new code of practice, which has yet to be fully drafted. |
| Earlier this week, Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne revealed he would not be taking his bonus after Christmas engineering works overran and caused major rail disruption. | Earlier this week, Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne revealed he would not be taking his bonus after Christmas engineering works overran and caused major rail disruption. |
| Analysis by BBC transport correspondent Richard Westcott | Analysis by BBC transport correspondent Richard Westcott |
| For 10 years or so, successive governments have taken a conscious decision to get more money out of rail passengers through higher fares. | For 10 years or so, successive governments have taken a conscious decision to get more money out of rail passengers through higher fares. |
| They get hammered every time they put prices up, even if it's just by inflation, so why do they do it? | They get hammered every time they put prices up, even if it's just by inflation, so why do they do it? |
| The reason is simple. If passengers pay more, the government, and therefore all the other taxpayers, pay less. | The reason is simple. If passengers pay more, the government, and therefore all the other taxpayers, pay less. |
| And the fact is that the vast majority of commuters, about 95%, don't take the train. Most people drive. | And the fact is that the vast majority of commuters, about 95%, don't take the train. Most people drive. |
| So the argument is that they're getting the people who actually use trains to pay a bigger chunk of the bill. | So the argument is that they're getting the people who actually use trains to pay a bigger chunk of the bill. |
| That's little comfort to commuters who need to find a lump sum of thousands of pounds every year, just to get to work - and who don't feel the quality of their service matches the price tag. | That's little comfort to commuters who need to find a lump sum of thousands of pounds every year, just to get to work - and who don't feel the quality of their service matches the price tag. |
| The TUC said rail fares in the UK were among the highest in Europe. | |
| Its general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "This year's fare hike will hit passengers particularly hard because wages are rising so slowly. | Its general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "This year's fare hike will hit passengers particularly hard because wages are rising so slowly. |
| "Rail fares are now consuming a huge proportion of people's wages, leaving precious little for other bread-and-butter expenses." | |
| RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "The scandal of Britain's great rail fares rip-off continues with today's hike far outstripping average pay increases, and it will once again hit those at the sharp end of the austerity clampdown the hardest." | RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "The scandal of Britain's great rail fares rip-off continues with today's hike far outstripping average pay increases, and it will once again hit those at the sharp end of the austerity clampdown the hardest." |
| Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told the BBC: "I accept 2.5% is more than a passenger wants to pay, any increase is to be regrettable. | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told the BBC: "I accept 2.5% is more than a passenger wants to pay, any increase is to be regrettable. |
| "But we are investing in the biggest rail modernisation since the Victorian era and fares have a crucial role to play in funding these improvements." | "But we are investing in the biggest rail modernisation since the Victorian era and fares have a crucial role to play in funding these improvements." |
| He added that the government was protecting passengers to some extent by stopping operating companies from increasing individual fares by up to 2% more. | He added that the government was protecting passengers to some extent by stopping operating companies from increasing individual fares by up to 2% more. |
| 'A rip-off railway' | 'A rip-off railway' |
| Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group representing rail operators and Network Rail, said: "At 2.2%, the average increase in fares in 2015 is the lowest for five years. | Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group representing rail operators and Network Rail, said: "At 2.2%, the average increase in fares in 2015 is the lowest for five years. |
| "We understand no-one likes to pay more, especially to go to work. For every £1 spent on fares, 97p goes on track, train, staff and other costs while 3p goes in profits earned by train companies for running services on Europe's fastest-growing railway." | "We understand no-one likes to pay more, especially to go to work. For every £1 spent on fares, 97p goes on track, train, staff and other costs while 3p goes in profits earned by train companies for running services on Europe's fastest-growing railway." |
| Shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher said Labour would enforce a "strict cap on fares". | Shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher said Labour would enforce a "strict cap on fares". |
| He said: "David Cameron is presiding over a rip-off railway in Britain. He has failed to stand up for working people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and has allowed the train companies to hit passengers with massive fare rises of over 20% since 2010. | He said: "David Cameron is presiding over a rip-off railway in Britain. He has failed to stand up for working people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and has allowed the train companies to hit passengers with massive fare rises of over 20% since 2010. |
| "Some season tickets have now risen by over 30% under this government, forcing people to pay thousands of pounds more to commute to work on increasingly overcrowded trains." | "Some season tickets have now risen by over 30% under this government, forcing people to pay thousands of pounds more to commute to work on increasingly overcrowded trains." |
| Passenger Lorna Tullis, 35, from Gillingham in Kent, said the price hike was "disgusting". | Passenger Lorna Tullis, 35, from Gillingham in Kent, said the price hike was "disgusting". |
| She said: "It's appalling. Salaries are not keeping up with fare increases. Mine is a good service but it's very expensive." | She said: "It's appalling. Salaries are not keeping up with fare increases. Mine is a good service but it's very expensive." |
| In Wales, ticket prices on Arriva Trains Wales services will rise by 2.5% or 10p - whichever is greater. | In Wales, ticket prices on Arriva Trains Wales services will rise by 2.5% or 10p - whichever is greater. |
| In Northern Ireland rail fares are set separately and have not risen since 2013. | In Northern Ireland rail fares are set separately and have not risen since 2013. |
| Similarly in Scotland, there will be no rise in 2015 in off-peak fares, which have been frozen since January 2013. Peak fares will rise by 2.5%, the same as the July inflation rate, which means on average overall rail fares will rise by 1.5%. | Similarly in Scotland, there will be no rise in 2015 in off-peak fares, which have been frozen since January 2013. Peak fares will rise by 2.5%, the same as the July inflation rate, which means on average overall rail fares will rise by 1.5%. |
| On Friday overhead wire problems at Nuneaton in the West Midlands have caused delays on services from Crewe to London. There were also delays in East Anglia and flooding in Wales meant buses had to replace trains between Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd and Llandudno Junction in Conwy. | On Friday overhead wire problems at Nuneaton in the West Midlands have caused delays on services from Crewe to London. There were also delays in East Anglia and flooding in Wales meant buses had to replace trains between Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynedd and Llandudno Junction in Conwy. |