COMMUTERS face rail fare rises to London above the rate of inflation in the New Year, increasing the cost of an annual season ticket to get to work. And one MP said the rises are a kick in the teeth for hard pressed commuters worrying about the credit cr

COMMUTERS face rail fare rises to London above the rate of inflation in the New Year, increasing the cost of an annual season ticket to get to work.

And one MP said the rises are "a kick in the teeth for hard pressed commuters worrying about the credit crunch".

First Capital Connect (FCC), operator of services linking stations with London King's Cross, will increase regulated fares, season tickets and peak day tickets, by six per cent from January 2.

FCC's biggest rise is of nine per cent, one of the highest of any train operator in the country, for unregulated fares which is for off-peak and first class travel.

Royston MP Oliver Heald said: "These fare increases are a real kick in the teeth for hard pressed commuters already worrying about the credit crunch.

"Instead of poorly targeted VAT cuts, the Chancellor might have helped commuters."

FCC defended the rises with a spokesman saying: "Our fares are still very much in line with other UK train operators and significant investments have been made at our stations and with trains.