COMMUTERS are set to be hit hard by a predicted rise in rail fares, it has been revealed.

Fares are predicted to rise by 2.9 per cent on January 2, the Commuter Club claims.

The rise is due to be announced on Wednesday and follows a 3.1 per cent increase this January.

Over the past decade, the cumulative fare increase has been 37 per cent.

All regulated fares will increase, including all weekly, monthly and annual season tickets purchased by commuters in the UK.

The new increase will affect commuters across Essex and the rest of the country.

The Commuter Club said it aims to bring a stop to commuters’ losing battles with expensive, increasing rail fares and unreliable journeys.

It revealed trains from January 2 between Colchester to London terminals are predicted to increase for annual season ticket holders by £153 a year.

The figures also showed annual season tickets between Colchester and London Liverpool Street would rise from £5,264 to a predicted £5,417 per year.

Irina Iovita, chief executive of the Commuter Club said: “The commuter system is broken, so there needs to be a revolution to change the way people pay for their everyday travel and to hand the power back to the commuters.

“In order to save customers time, money and hassle, the status quo in the transport industry needs to be challenged.”

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, said: “The most recent independent passenger survey found satisfaction with services is at 83 per cent nationally but there is still more to do.

“We are making trains more frequent and less crowded with over 7,000 new and refurbished like new carriages plus thousands of extra services each week by 2021.

“While increases to season tickets are regulated by Government, money from fares is crucial to enabling these kinds of improvements.”