Campaigners braved a chilly March day to protest new train fare increases that came into force this month.

Commuting workers face an average 4.9 per cent fare increase as London Northwestern Railway previously warned prices would increase from March 3 onwards.

It comes after the announcement from the Department for Transport(DfT) in December last year that it had set a cap of 4.9 per cent for increases in regulated fares, allowing the rise from the start of this month.

Matt Turmaine, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Watford, said: "Rail users are already feeling sore from the previous fare hikes - to land this latest one on them now puts the government and the train companies very firmly on the wrong side of the tracks."

Mr Turmaine expressed frustration at fare prices rising almost twice as fast as wages since 2010.

He said: “Train fares have risen at almost twice the rate of wages since 2010. Yet the cancellations and poor service seems to get worse and worse.

"Labour has a plan to put passengers first and will take the railways back into public ownership over time, so they are run for our benefit as users instead."

Regulated fares cover season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long-distance routes, and flexible tickets for travel around major cities.