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“We are providing a higher-performing railway with new, refurbished and more punctual trains and better stations. Nearly 91 per cent of trains ran on time between April and September this year, the highest punctuality level for a decade.”

Consumer groups expressed anger at the rises. Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, the independent consumer rail watchdog, said: “Passengers will be dismayed that fares are going up again, especially as on most routes they have no choice about which train company to use.

“This is the reality of the Government’s strategy for our railways. Passengers should brace themselves for fare rises from now until 2014 as their contribution to railway services nearly doubles from £5 billion to £9 billion each year. They will rightly expect a better service for this.

“We are only being given a partial picture today. The industry has published average figures which mask rises on individual routes. It looks like Kent commuters are being hit hardest. Many commuters will have to fork out hundreds of extra pounds for their next annual season ticket.”

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, a rise of £348, while an annual season ticket between Norwich and London will go up from £5,640 to £6,000, an increase of 6.3 per cent, or £360.

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.

A spokesman for Southeastern said: “The company is operating more services, performance is at record levels, many of our stations are looking lighter and brighter, we are on course to introduce high-speed services by December 2009, complaints are down and customer praise has increased.

“So, in return for increased revenue, good progress is being made and the quality of service and value for money we’re providing to our passengers is improving.”

Theresa Villiers, the Shadow Transport Secretary, said: “Labour’s fingerprints are all over these fare rises. We have now had years of escalating above-inflation increases which are hitting many family budgets hard. People are really feeling the pinch.

“Labour need to get a grip of the overcrowding crisis which is so damaging to the quality of life of millions of commuters up and down the country.”

Unions too were dismayed at the price hikes. Gerry Doherty, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said: “Fare rises of up to 14 per cent are outrageous. Rail companies are holding passengers to ransom every year and the Government are allowing them to get away with it.

“This amounts to daylight robbery because many commuters have no alternative when it comes to getting to work. We need an alternative, not-for-profit railway rather than the expensive privately-run system we have at present under which the poor passenger ends up paying through the nose.”

Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport union, said: “The failure to impose a sensible fares policy is having a direct effect on the environment, as more and more people who should be on trains take to their cars.

“The Government promised to take fares policy in hand, but the privateers have once more been given the given the green light to fill their boots with passengers’ and taxpayers’ money.

“We need substantial investment in greater capacity and new lines, yet the private sector is allowed to drain £1 billion a year from the railway industry.”

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