In the teeth’

Other fare rises are decided by train companies.

A Department for Transport spokesman acknowledged that “any fare increase is unwelcome”, but insisted it was “not fair to ask people who do not use trains to pay more for those who do”.

He continued: “Taxpayers already subsidise the network by more than £4 billion a year - meaning that 54 per cent of our transport budget is spent on the two per cent of journeys that the railway accounts for.”

Shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, claimed the increase showed “a Government and rail industry out of touch with passenger concerns”.

Rail, Maritime and Transport union general secretary, Mick Cash, said the latest fare rise was “another kick in the teeth for passengers on Britain’s rip-off privatised railways”.

Average fares on GWRwill be 2.9 per cent higher from January 2