'Rip-off' train tickets hit Christmas travel

There were demands for Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, to step into the growing row over operators restricting the sale of cheaper tickets.

Travellers are frequently told the cheaper seats have all been sold and are forced to buy much more expensive tickets instead.

Gerry Doherty, leader of the TSSA transport union, said many of the cheap deals advertised proved to be a "mirage". He said: "The rail companies are always claiming that cheaper deals are available if only you book ahead.

"The truth is no one knows how many cheaper deals are being sold because the rail companies will not tell us. They say it is confidential information."

Mr Doherty said that according to information obtained by the union the highly-publicised cheap deals amount to less than 10 per cent of sales on some of the busiest routes. The row comes as rail firms prepare to increase fares by as much as 14 per cent in two weeks' time. Operators are limited next year to increasing peak time fares by 4.8 per cent - but there is no restriction on off-peak fares. Many of these fares will rise by nine or 10 per cent.

Mr Doherty said: "With the latest round of increases, same day rail travel is now the preserve of the middle classes. A walk-on return fare between London and Manchester will be £230 in the New Year. Ordinary people simply cannot afford these sort of prices. Equally, they should not be misled into paying them by overblown claims about discounted fares. Ruth Kelly should insist the public is told when and how many affordable fares are on offer."

Anthony Smith, chief executive of national rail watchdog Passenger Focus, said the train companies should be made to publish what tickets they have sold at what price.

"This would give passengers confidence that the cheap tickets are really available," he said.