Commuters travelling through Wolverhampton hit out at latest rail fares hike

Passengers will be forced to dig deeper into their pockets when train fares rise by 3.4 per cent in January.

The news, announced yesterday, was met with a frosty reception by commuters boarding trains at Wolverhampton railway station.

Irene Wenlock said it would be a 'struggle' to fork out more cash for train fares and claimed pensioners across the Black Country would have difficulty with the increased prices.

The 68-year-old currently pays £4.20 to travel for under 10 minutes from Wolverhampton to hometown Penkridge but said a fare half the price for the short trip should be hauled in.

Mrs Wenlock said: "I think it's really bad because people won't want to travel. I like to travel to see family and I can't afford it.

"For pensioners, I think it's really expensive. Being a pensioner, I can't even afford a day out really. I don't know how people afford to travel, who go to work every day and use the train. It must be horrendous."

Former Walsall resident Alan Terry branded the hike in fares 'disgusting' and said he avoids the train, opting for the car as it is cheaper.

The 67-year-old, who now lives in Bristol, said: "It's not right. We are told to drive our cars and get on public transport but who's going to pay these prices? I think it's disgraceful."

Regional manager for Sainsbury's Mark Roberts, who was travelling from Wolverhampton to London Euston, revealed expensive train fares put him off catching a train to Stockton-on-Tees to see family this Christmas.

The Sedgley resident has instead planned to drive to North East England to save cash but said he understood why train fares needed to increase.

The 41-year-old added: "Obviously, nobody wants to pay extra for anything but it costs an awful lot of money to keep it running.

"I work in maintenance, people not in the field don't really realise what's involved in keeping us safe on the trains."

Student Alistair Thompson said rail fares needed to be 'more accommodating' for young people regularly catching trains.

He said it would be 'difficult' to find the extra cash to pay for the increased fares and said he may have to rely on lifts in the car from parents.

The 18-year-old, who often stops at Wolverhampton railway station during his journey back home to Lancashire, added: "It's not very good for me really, as a student I struggle to afford the fares as it is.

"Making it more expensive isn't very helpful. It's hard to find the money. I have to budget for food and everything else."