Increased congestion fears over rail price hike

Public transport campaigners hit out at the rise with fares on Virgin Trains East Coast services which run between Leeds and London up by as much as 4.9 per cent.

The average increase across Britain is 2.3 per cent and the overall rise is the highest since January 2014, when fares increased by 2.8 per cent.

Lianna Etkind, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “The fare rises are another kick in the teeth for long-suffering passengers. The whole fares system is completely unfair.”

Christopher Hyomes, of independent campaign group Railfuture, said faced with increased prices people could return to driving adding to the congestion problems in places likes Leeds.

“There is that possibility and I think it is one that everybody needs to be aware of, he said.

Virgin said there would be 10,000 more discounted fares every week.