THE cost of an annual season rail ticket between Kemble and London Paddington went up by 3.1 per cent due to government rail fare increases this week.

Nationwide rises affecting all types of tickets came into play on Thursday (January 2) and saw prices go up by an average of 2.8 per cent.

Users of the Kemble service, which is managed by First Great Western trains, will now have to pay £8496, a £265 rise on the price of last year’s annual season ticket.

Lynden Stowe leader of Cotswold District Council said: “The rise seems higher than inflation and rises of council services. On behalf of the users who use it on a daily basis the rise is a little on the high side.

“In line with inflation we have frozen council tax and parking charges over the past few years and they are both capped until 2015.

“Hopefully they will keep further increases to an absolute minimum like councils.”

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