COMMUTERS are to face a six per cent rise in rail fares from the start of next year.

Regulated fares, which include season tickets, are rising by 6per cent on c2c and National Express East Anglia from January 2.

Unregulated fares, which include most leisure and advanced-fare tickets, will be increase by 6per cent on both lines.

The Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc) said the increased revenue would pay for investment to improve the railways and allow the Government to reduce its rail subsidy by 40 per cent between 2006/07 and 2013/14.

However, Peter Slattery, chairman of Southend Rail Travellers' Assocation, criticised the move because most people were suffering with th effects of the credit crunch.

He said: “I’m not happy because nobody’s wages are going up.

"This is a bad time to do it with a lot of people having their wages cut.”

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