MP CAROLINE Lucas led the calls for train fares top be scaled back after a 1.9 per cent rise was announced

The Green party MP first reacted to the regulated rail fares rise by saying they should be frozen and then said "actually I take that back - fares should be cut to compensate passengers for the appalling reduced service they get".

The Brighton Pavilion MP said the increase in ticket prices - taking effect in January - would be "particularly galling" for commuters using Southern Railway.

Many of the operator's services have been delayed or cancelled for weeks because of a dispute over changes to the role of conductors and staff shortages - blamed by the company on high levels of staff sickness.

The fare increase is linked to July's Retail Price Index measure of inflation, which was confirmed by the Office for National Statistics.

Around half of rail fares are regulated, including season tickets on most commuter journeys, some off-peak return tickets on long distance trips and Anytime tickets around major cities.

Research by the TUC and the Action For Rail union showed that fares have risen by double the speed of wages since 2010.

The analysis revealed that fares have increased by 25% in the last six years, while average weekly earnings have grown by 12%.

A series of protests were held at railway stations across the country by trade unions yesterday morning.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn held a placard which read "2017 rip off central" at a demonstration outside London Bridge station.

Asked how much it would cost to implement his policy of renationalising the railways, he replied: "The cost would be not very much because we would be taking over the franchises as they ran out and handing them over to direct rail to run as train companies."

As fares for passengers rise, dividends paid to shareholders of private train companies have risen by 21% in the last year to £222 million, said the unions.

Passenger group Transport Focus called for Southern Railway fares to be frozen and for the introduction of changes to compensation rules.

Paul Plummer, chief executive at the Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators and Network Rail, said: "Nobody wants to pay more to travel to work and at the moment in some areas people aren't getting the service they are paying for, and we know how frustrating that is.

"But increases to season tickets are set by Government. For every pound paid in fares, 97p goes back into running and improving services and it's our job to make sure that money is spent well."