ANGRY commuters faced with paying increased rail ticket prices have hit out at the biggest rise in fares since 2013.

Fares went up by an average of 3.4 per cent yesterday, with Arriva Trains Wales tickets rising by 3.3 per cent and Great Western Railways fares by 3.1 per cent.

Commuters at Newport railway station expressed anger at the price hike yesterday.

For David Jones, 45, from Redwick, it means he will be paying £466 per month for travel on the railways.

"It did make me think about using the car instead," said Mr Jones, who regularly uses the train to travel to Swindon from Newport for work.

"If the cost gets much closer to £500 for a month I will think about changing."

Mr Jones said he was impressed with the newer trains which have recently been introduced on the route, but that some of the services are "far too packed."

Jason Paginton, who travels from Newport to Cardiff by train, currently has a season ticket which costs £741.30.

He said the fare increase, which will see his ticket increase by around £30, was a "bit of a joke."

He said: "They say that 97 per cent of the increase goes back into rail services but you are still made to stand up for most journeys, you have little chance of getting a seat.

"Most days the train is full and then there are delays as well."

Mr Paginton, a senior travel executive at Admiral from St Julian's Newport, said he uses the train partly to avoid car park fees in Cardiff and the longer travel time of the bus.

Sarah Partridge, who travels from Cwmbran to Newport for work, said: "It is absolutely disgusting.

"How many people are going to get a 3.4 per cent pay rise?

"People are not going to get that sort of increase so it means people are more out of pocket and worse off all the time."

Michael Webb, who travels from Newport to Bristol, said he was also disappointed by the increase.

He said the trains are "constantly packed."

Barrister Simon Stephenson, who travels from Swansea to Newport and Cardiff, also said the trains are often full.

However, he said the increase in fares was "not too bad."

He added: "It is not too bad but it is still extra money."

The Department for Transport said price rises are capped in line with inflation.

A spokesman said: "We are investing in the biggest modernisation of our railways since the Victorian times to improve services for passengers - providing faster and better, more comfortable trains with extra seats.

"This includes the first trains running though London on the Crossrail project, an entirely new Thameslink rail service and continuing work on the transformative Great North Rail Project.

"We keep fare prices under constant review and the price rises for this year are capped in line with inflation, with 97p out of every £1 paid going back into the railway."

Campaigners say fare rises are pricing people off the railways because wages are not increasing at the same rate.

Fares went up by 2.3 per cent last year.