Long-suffering rail passengers are seeing in the new year with a 2.8% increase in fares on average... but the rise is much less than originally feared.

The increase was originally set at July's Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 1%, but Chancellor George Osborne last month took away the 1%, leaving the rise at an average of 3.1%

But Southeastern has gone one step further, and pegged it at an average of 2.8%.

Most prices affecting Kent change today, with journeys wholly within London changing later this month.

A Southeastern spokesman said: ‘We appreciate that nobody likes to pay more for their travel, however there are only two sources of funding for the operation of the railway – Government subsidy and the passenger.

“Since 2002 it has been government policy to shift the balance of the cost of running the railway from the taxpayer to the passenger and therefore the government requires train operators to increase fares each year.

“Nationally, around £24billion will be invested in improving rail services over the next five years.

"Passengers will see the complete rebuild of London Bridge station as part of the £6.5billion Thameslink Programme and, locally in Kent, we will continue to see more investment in stations, track and signalling, which will allow us to continue to provide an improved service for our customers.”

But the new year won't just bring in increased fares - the cost of parking at stations also goes up.

From next Monday, parking at 42 of Southeastern’s 95 car parks will increase by between 10p and 20p per day (daily peak charge).

The rest of the car parks have been frozen at 2013 prices.

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