TRAIN fares in Britain will rise by more than public-sector pay yet again next year in what rail union RMT dubbed “another kick in the teeth” for passengers.

The 1.1 per cent fare increase will take effect on January 2, industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) announced yesterday.

The Tory government is continuing its 1 per cent pay freeze on public-sector workers for the next four years.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Today’s rail-fare hike is yet another kick in the teeth for the British passenger who is already paying some of the highest fares in Europe to travel on clapped-out and overcrowded trains.

“With inflation hovering around zero, today’s fare increase is all about ring-fencing and increasing the profit margins of the rip-off private rail companies who, once again, will be laughing all the way to the bank.”

While the increase is the smallest since 2010, Campaign for Better Transport’s Martin Abrams noted that fares in Britain have increased by more than 25 per cent in five years.

He said: “To avoid pricing people off the railways, the train-operating companies and government need to work closely together to provide fairer, simpler and cheaper fares through flexible ticketing and making sure people are always sold the cheapest ticket available.”

Shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood claimed “the Christmas cheer will end early for thousands of commuters when they return to work.”

She said: “Commuters were always told that higher fares would fund investment, but vital projects have been delayed for years and passengers are paying ever more to travel on increasingly overcrowded and unreliable trains.

“It’s clear that the railways are in urgent need of reform.”