A REGIONAL Transport campaign group has heavily criticised the announcement by Northern Rail and Transpennine Express to increase their fares from New Year’s Day.

Across the country, rail fares have gone up by an average of 2.7 per cent.

Northern Rail says its fares have risen by an average of 2.48 per cent.

Transpennine Express (TPE) said its regulated fares had gone up by 2.8 per cent.

The North and West Yorkshire branch of the Campaign for Better Transport said the rises were unjustified.

“Customers have been subject to abysmal standards of performance over the past year with cancelled, delayed and short formation trains causing time wasting, inconvenience and perpetuating overcrowding,” its statement said.

“The management of TPE and Northern have put profit before passengers”.

A spokesman for Northern Rail said: "Northern is delivering new trains, improved trains, better stations and more services to transform local rail for current and future customers in the North. 

"More than 50 brand new trains are now serving customers, while the majority of Pacers have been removed from the network.

"Fares are an important factor in enabling the investment that will make this happen and ensure the railway continues to support our customers, communities and the regional economy."

Darren Higgins, Commercial Director for TransPennine Express said: “Our regulated fares, which include season tickets and off-peak period return tickets, will increase on average by 2.8 per cent - a figure which is set by inflation."

"For our non-regulated fares a small number will go up by slightly more than this amount whilst others may either be frozen or reduced in price.

Both companies urged passengers to book in advance for cheaper fares and Northern Rail said it had frozen all its Advance Purchase fares.