Protesters lobbied commuters to press for rail re-nationalisation as the Government announced more fare rises.

Regulated train fares will rise by an inflation-busting 3.5% from January next year.

Action for Rail, a campaign group backed by the Trades Union Congress and several unions, were out at railway stations across the country to gather support.

Campaigners say the UK already has the highest fares in Europe but services are over-crowded, often run late and are under-staffed.

Action for Rail claims the rail companies make little investment in the network with most cash coming from taxpayers.

Paula Sherriff, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury, was at Dewsbury Railway Station handing out postcards, urging people to send them to their MP.

Ms Sherriff said: “Train fares have gone up by 25% in four years and another rise next year comes as families are still feeling the pressure on their cost of living.

“We have to address the problems of overcrowding, in particular, and invest in more rolling stock. Sometimes it’s like transporting cattle on the trains.

“I use the train quite regularly and I am sure commuters would accept a modest rise but not above the rate of inflation.

“The trouble is the rail companies have a captive audience but these rises do nothing to encourage people onto the trains.”

Michael Roberts, director general of rail industry body, the Rail Delivery Group, defended the rises and said: “Money from fares pays for more trains, better stations and faster services on what is already Europe’s fastest-growing, safest and most-improved railway. Over the next five years, £38 billion will be invested in improving the network.

“Government decides the average change to regulated fares, including season tickets, each year.

“For a decade, successive governments have regulated commuter fares so as to increase the share of rail’s costs paid by passengers rather than taxpayers.

“Our commitment is to enable future government fares decisions which work best for passengers, by continuing to get more out of every pound we spend and encouraging more train travel to pay for services and improvements.”

Transport charity Sustrans said: “Last year the Chancellor showed he understood the negative impact of high rail costs on the economy by holding fares to an inflation-only increase. He needs to take action again this year.”