The Harpenden MP has said it is “hugely unfair” to increase train fares from next year, following today’s announcement from Govia Thameslink Railway.

Govia Thameslink Railway said fares on the Thameslink network will rise by 1.8 per centfrom January 2, 2017, which is “in line with other train operators”.

The rail industry announced that train fares in Britain will increase by an average of 2.3 per cent next year.

MP Peter Lilley for Hitchin and Harpenden claimed Thameslink was “hiding” its fare increase behind their compensation scheme, as passengers will also be able to claim compensation for delays of 15 minutes or more, from Sunday December 11.

Mr Lilley said he will write to Govia and the Department for Transport to demand they extend this retrospective compensation scheme to Thameslink passengers.

He said: "It is a bit rich for Govia to think that passengers will put up with a fare increase in return for an enhanced compensation scheme.

"Of course, compensation is necessary, but what my constituents want is an end to the delays and, in the meantime, there can be no justification for increasing fares next year.

"Other train operators may be raising fares, but they are not running such an appalling, substandard service.

"Govia have also announced that Southern rail passengers will be able to claim compensation for their season tickets from last year – in some cases up to £370.

"It is hugely unfair that this one-off compensation scheme is not available to Thameslink passengers, who have also suffered enormously as a result of Govia’s incompetence and Union intransigence."

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said: "Under our contract with the Department for Transport, money from our ticket sales is passed to the Government which in any case also regulates season ticket prices and the cost of other major tickets.

"Those tickets that are unregulated, such as off-peak fares, have been pegged to the same 1.9% rate of inflation rise used to determine season tickets. However, by rounding down rather than up to the nearest 10p, the average increase is 0.1% less than the rate of inflation – and quite a lot less than the national average increase of 2.3%.

"The compensation scheme, by which passengers will be able to claim for much shorter delays, has also been announced by the Department for Transport and we welcome it wholeheartedly."