TORIES should back down and end the “scandal” of Britain’s privatised railways, Labour said yesterday as fare rises hit a five-year record.

Train companies announced that tickets will increase in price by an average of 3.4 per cent on January 2. This is slightly below the government-set rise for “regulated” fares such as season tickets, which will shoot up by 3.6 per cent.

Rail Delivery Group (RDG) chief executive Paul Plummer, whose organisation represents industry bosses, said fare revenue was “underpinning the partnership railway’s long-term plan to change and improve.”