COMMUTERS travelling from Reading to London face a steady increase in rail fares, according to newly-released figures from the Labour Party.

Passengers will be asked to pay £1,219 more to travel to work than they did in 2010, following the 3.2 per cent hike in prices.

The average cost of fares and season tickets across the UK have risen more than three times faster than wages.

In fact, in Theresa May's own constituency of Maidenhead, the cost of a season ticket has risen by 35 per cent, representing an increase of nearly £900 in less than a decade.

Matt Rodda, Labour MP for Reading East, said: “Reading's passengers are already paying thousands of pounds each year for their rail travel.

"At the same time, wages are not keeping up with the substantial rise in the cost of living.

"This further increase in rail fares will penalise those who are simply trying to get by and earn a living in these ever-increasingly difficult and austere times.”

Labour politicians campaigned earlier this year when plans to increase fares by 3.6 per cent were revealed.

The proposal, made by the Conservatives, represented the biggest increase in rail fares in five years.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, said: “Today’s train fare increases are an insult to everyone who has suffered from the chaos on Britain’s railways.

“The government’s shambolic mismanagement of our railways has been a national embarrassment and they must now step in to freeze fares charged on the worst performing routes."

Increases to rail fares are the responsibility of the train companies and Labour politicians have called on Chris Grayling, transport secretary, to execute his regulatory duty and do more to oppose the hike.

Instead, he has angered the opposition further by writing a letter to trade unions, asking rail staff to accept a pay cap.

Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, added: ”This is a pathetic attempt by Chris Grayling to shift the blame for Tory fares policy.

"The amount by which train companies can raise regulated fares is the responsibility of the transport secretary. He has the power to enforce this, he’s just choosing not to."