Passenger fury as rail fares rise by up to 15 per cent despite delays, overcrowding and poor service

Despite delays, overcrowding and poor service, train operators will increase fares on Wednesday.

The rises have been condemned by passenger groups, MPs and unions as "disgraceful, unfair and unjustified".

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Critics say they are designed to price people off overcrowded trains.

The increases follow a festive period marked by a shortage of cheaper advance tickets and disruption, delays and limited, if any, service due to repairs on much of the network.

But the rail companies have defended their performance, with Virgin Trains, whose services have been severely affected by engineering work, accusing Network Rail of "bullying" the operating companies.

Some of the worst performing train operators are imposing the largest cost increases.

Even fares regulated by the Government will go up by an inflation-busting 4.8 per cent.

Passengers face at least seven more years of hikes as part of Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly's strategy to make customers fund three-quarters of the cost of the railways by 2014. Fares currently fund half the cost.

Unregulated fares, such as cheap day-returns, long-distance open and some advance fares, will go up by an average of 5.4 per cent.

But that figure disguises hikes of up to 15 per cent on some routes, say watchdogs.

The cost of a weekly season ticket from Hayes, in Kent, to London will rise by 14.5 per cent, from £24.80 to £28.50, and from Bexleyheath, Kent, 13 per cent from £25.10 to £28.50.

Unregulated fares will rise by an average of 7 per cent on CrossCountry and East Midlands Trains routes, 6.8 per cent on routes run by the One train company, 6.1 per cent on First Great Western, and 4.3 per cent on South West Trains.

Regulated fares, including season tickets, savers and standard dayreturns, will go up by an average of 4.8 per cent, though some will be higher.

The rise will be 6.8 per cent on Southeastern and 5 per cent on First TransPennine Express routes. Increases on some individual routes will be higher still.

The Association of Train Operating Companies defended the rises. Director general George Muir said: "We need the revenue from fares to pay for investment in the railway for the benefit of passengers."

But fares watchdog Passenger Focus said the cost of an annual season-ticket from Canterbury in Kent to London will increase by 11.1 per cent from £3,132 to £3,480, while an annual season ticket from Gillingham in Kent to London will increase from £2,496 to £2,740, a rise of 9.7 per cent, or £244.

Weekly season tickets from Swindon to London, a route operated by First Great Western - the secondworst train company for punctuality - will rise from £154.10 to £169.20, an increase of £15.10 or 9.8 per cent.

Gerry Doherty, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association said the fare rises were "outrageous".

Under a formula agreed with the Government, regulated fares are pegged to the July rate of inflation - 3.8 per cent - plus 1 per cent.

In 2007, regulated fares rose by 4.3 per cent and unregulated by an average 4.7 per cent against an inflation rate of 3.3 per cent.