Rail user groups have condemned news that fares in West Yorkshire will increase by an average of eight per cent from January – more than two per cent higher than the national average.

Northern Rail, which operates trains across the North, has announced its fares will increase by an average of 6.7 per cent from Monday, January 2 – the equivalent of around 20p to 30p per journey.

But passengers in West Yorkshire will see an average rise of eight per cent on regulated fares – well above the countrywide average of 5.9 per cent – to help cover the cost of extra carriages.

Pensioners are also expected to see a huge increase in the cost of some rail journeys from next month as Metro scraps its 50p flat rate for off-peak concessionary fares leaving them to pay half the new standard fares.

James Vasey, of Bradford Rail Users Group, said passengers would be faced with a “double whammy” of fare increases and the loss of the flat rate fare for pensioners.