Matthew is media officer to Green Party MEP Keith Taylor

Campaigners and politicians joined forces across the country this morning as part of a protest against spiralling train fares.

I joined Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, in Tonbridge where he was speaking to commuters about the 5.2% increase in their season ticket to an eye watering £3796. Inflation busting fare increases aren’t isolated to Tonbridge, or even the South East. Research out this month showed that some of Britain’s busiest routes have seen fare rises of up to three times the rate of inflation since the railways were privatised.

Surveys show that three quarters of British voters want more control over our railways yet the chances of us taking the trains back into public ownership seem slim because of a privatisation consensus among the across the old three parties.

This morning we merged the latest statistics from the ONS with season ticket prices over the last five years. The result: train fares are rising fast while people’s real income drops.

To take action on rail fare increases you can sign up to Together for Transport.