REGULATED rail fares, including season tickets, will go up by 4.8 per cent, while other tickets are set to rise by a larger amount.

The rises announced today mean nationally regulated fares, including season tickets, savers and standard day returns will go up by 4.8 per cent on January 2, while some unregulated prices such as cheap day returns, long distance open and advance fares, will increase by an average of 5.4 per cent.

First Great Western's regulated fares will rise by 4.8 per cent, while unregulated fares will rise by 6.1 per cent on average.

A spokesman for the company said some fares will be reduced, others frozen, and some unregulated fares increases will rise by up to 9.8 per cent.

Andrew Haines, First Great Western's chief operating officer, said: "We are investing £200m in trains, stations and customer services and have spent over £70m in the past year.

"More and more of the revenue we earn is being returned to Government year by year as national transport policy, and payment for it, changes."

Passengers using Chiltern Railways face a 4.8 per cent average increase for regulated fares and 5.1 per cent average increase for unregulated fares.

Some commuters in the South East of England will see their weekly fare rise by 14.5 per cent, it was revealed.

The Association of Train Operating Companies said increased revenue was needed to pay for the major new expenditure to further improve the railway.

More than £800m is now being spent on new and refurbished trains across the network.

George Muir, director general of ATOC, said: "We need the revenue from fares to pay for investment in the railway for the benefit of passengers.

"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."