Big increases in rail fares on the South-east's worst misery lines

Commuters on some of Britain's worst-performing train services face above-inflation fare increases for rush-hour journeys.

Rail chiefs in London and the South-east are bracing themselves for an uproar over the new year rises for peak-time trains operated by South West Trains, Connex, West Anglia Great Northern, Thames Trains, Thameslink and South Central. Passengers will have to pay an average 2.5 per cent extra from 1 January, almost twice the relevant inflation rate. Prices on some routes could rise by 7 per cent. News of the fare increase was to be announced by the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc) next Tuesday as part of an attempt to put a positive "spin" on the information. Last March, passenger operators and Atoc decided to think up "good soundbites" about increases. Communications managers said operators should co-operate so news of rises could be contained in one press release.

"This ... should cut the story dead within a week," a confidential Atoc document obtained by The Independent said.

Train companies had been forced to keep prices down because of poor performance. But the Strategic Rail Authority is allowing some to increase fares at a full point above the 1.5 per cent inflation rate because of improved performance in the year to July 2001.