Video: Another huge hike in rail fares - how much will your next season ticket cost?

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said people travelling from the counties to London will have to spend more than £100 a week from the new year just to get to work.

The TSSA made the claim as it joined other unions, transport campaigners and rail passenger groups in a day of action to protest at “massive” fare increases and cuts to jobs and services.

A series of demonstrations will be held at railway stations across the country to coincide with news of another fare increase.

The Government is allowing train firms to raise regulated fares by 3% more than RPI inflation from January, based on July’s inflation figure, which is published today.

Rail unions have warned that some fares could jump by 11% from the new year, while most rush-hour travel, season tickets and off-peak fares will rise by well above the rate of inflation.

Up to 20,000 jobs in the rail industry are at risk under cost-cutting proposals, which will hit station staff, guards, catering and ticket offices, unions said.

Union officials at today’s protests will step up demands for the railways to be returned to public ownership, saying that privatisation has led to some of the highest fares in Europe despite a massive increase in taxpayer subsidies to the industry.

TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said: “It is complete nonsense to say fares have to rise above inflation every year to pay for new rail projects.

“Air travellers don’t pay higher taxes to get new runways built, and motorists certainly don’t pay more for new roads.

“This is all about squeezing a captive audience, the commuter, until the pips squeak. It is little more than daylight robbery.”

Stephen Joseph, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “If the Government sticks by its policy, rail fares will rise three times faster than salaries. With the economy flat-lining, this is untenable.

“The Government knows they can’t continue to hit commuters - that’s why they’ve postponed the fuel duty increase. Now they need to give the same help to rail users.”

Bob Crow, leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said passengers will be “rightly angry” when they find out the full extent of inflation-busting fare increases imposed on them by Government “diktat”.

Protests will be held at more than 40 stations today, including Waterloo, Euston and Kings Cross in London, Birmingham New Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool Lime Street, Crewe, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley.

Campaigners held up a huge banner at London’s Waterloo station, which read: “Cut rail fares, not rail staff.”

They handed out leaflets, in the shape of train tickets, urging passengers to take action against rising fares and cuts to jobs and services.

Mr Crow said passengers were being “ripped off” by the relentless rise in the cost of travelling by rail.

“Train companies get billions of pounds in subsidies from the Government, yet still put fares up.

“Renationalising the railways would save the taxpayer money.”

Mr Crow complained that there were 20 different types of ticket prices, yet more ticket offices were being closed or having their hours reduced.

“It’s about time the railways were run for the travelling public, not the bosses.”

Campaigners on behalf of disabled people joined today’s protest.

Lianna Etkind, of Transport For All, said: “Disabled people are already excluded from using public transport, and higher fares just makes matters worse.

“Disabled people are more than twice as likely to be living in a poorer household, so will be much more affected by rising fares.”

Simon Weller, national officer of the train drivers’ union Aslef, said: “Enough is enough. Rail fares are constantly going up. We should stop subsidising private shareholders.”

Malcolm Shepherd, chief executive of cycling group Sustrans, said: “With rail fares rising so much faster than inflation and salaries, more of us are going to feel forced into using a car to get around, adding to congestion and pollution in our cities.

“We should all be given a choice in how we make our everyday journeys. The Government saved drivers over £500 million by postponing the fuel duty increase set for August. That money could make a huge difference in keeping fares down.”

Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director, said: “Price rises well above inflation will be a nasty shock for many households who are already struggling with rising bills. Half of British consumers have told us that unexpected costs could tip their budgets over the edge.

“The Government should think again about allowing these fare rises, and instead put consumers first if they want to do more to support the economy.”

Reacting to the higher-than-expected 3.2% rise in inflation, Mr Crow said: “This represents a massive blow to the travelling public as they see fares rocket by over 6% in January at a time when household budgets are hit by the Government’s austerity programmes.

“People will be rightly angry as they work out what this inflation-busting increase in fares means for them. This money will not be invested back in services, it will be trousered by the greedy train operators as another windfall profit.”

Stephen Joseph, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “This higher-than-expected inflation figure means that rail fares will rise by more than 6% if the Government proceeds with its policy.

“There will be even more pressure on the Government to reverse its policy, and bring fares down.”

Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: “The Government decides the average increase of commuter ticket prices and other regulated fares which train companies will be required to introduce in January 2013.

“It has been Government policy during the past eight years for passengers to pay a larger share of the cost of operating the railways and to focus taxpayers’ money on investing in longer term improvements to the network.

“Any flexibility train companies have within the rules is to maximise revenue for the Government.”

Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said: “We are determined to drive down the cost of running the railways so we can put an end to above inflation fare increases in the future. Our reforms aim to deliver £3.5 billion in efficiency savings while continuing to expand services. That is the most effective way to respond to passenger concerns about fare levels.

“We are pressing ahead with a massive programme of rail improvements to tackle crowding and improve services and rail fares are making an important contribution to delivering this at a time when taxpayer funds are limited by the pressing need to tackle the deficit.