South West Trains has announced an average price hike of 1.5% from 2 January 2017, which works out as 7p per journey.

In a statement released by the company, it was pointed out that this is below the July inflation rate of 1.9% used by the government to set all regulated fares including season tickets and below the national average.

The fare increase comes during South West Trains current £50m investment which includes an additional 1,400 car park spaces, cycle spaces and 91 video ticket machines available 24/7.

South West Trains managing director Christian Roth: "We have worked hard to offer the best value travel for our customers.

"The changes in January will mean fares for South West Trains customers will on average reduce in real terms.

“As well as helping to fund the biggest national investment in the railways since Victorian times through increased payments to government, the money from fares is also helping to drive many real improvements for customers across our network.

"This includes new trains and major work to improve journeys to and from London Waterloo.”

Rail, Maritime and Transport union general secretary Mick Cash said: "This latest fares hike is another kick in the teeth for British passengers and condemns them to continue to pay some of the highest fares in Europe to travel on rammed out and unreliable trains.

"Once again the rip-off private train companies are laughing all the way to the bank as they whack up fares and axe staff in all-out dash to maximise their profits.

"This culture of private greed on Britain's railways has to stop and RMT will step up the fight for a publicly-owned railway where services and safety are the priority, not corporate profits. "

South West Trains is also working with National Rail to increase peak-time capacity by 30% by May 2018 along with a £210m fleet of new trains from 2017 and major improvements to London Waterloo.

South West Trains commuters can check the new fares for their journeys on www.nationalrail.co.uk .

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