A TILEHURST commuter will be kicking himself after his £2.90 train fare increased by more than 260 per cent.

Michael Jones, of Kentwood Hill, travelled to Reading train station on November 2, 2021, without paying his £2.90 fare.

The 30-year-old also passed through the automatic ticket barrier ‘in the incorrect manner’, a court file showed.

Jones was caught skipping his train fare, however, and was convicted of these two offences at Reading Magistrates’ Court on May 6, 2021.

He was ordered to pay a £440 fine and £2.90 in compensation for the skipped fare.

In addition to this, Jones was told to cough up a £54 victim surcharge and £180 in court costs.

The Tilehurst man was also fined £100 for jumping the barrier at Reading station.

In total, he will have to pay £776.90 for a trip that should have cost him just £2.90.

This is an increase of 266.9 per cent.