Sussex MPs today called for Railtrack to be returned to public ownership amid falling public confidence and anger over fare hikes.

Rail chaos in recent months has prompted Brighton Kemp Town MP Des Turner and Lewes MP Norman Baker to back an early day motion calling for Railtrack to be renationalised.

The motion, so far signed by 96 MPs, states privatisation "has led directly to the present and continuing crisis suffered by rail workers and rail users alike."

The demand came as train operator Connex increased some fares above the level of inflation, a move condemned by transport groups and passengers.

Other companies, including Thameslink, have frozen ticket prices following disruptive maintenance work which followed October's Hatfield crash. Services have also been affected by extreme weather.

The Rail Passengers Council said the fare rises were "incomprehensible" while travellers still faced long delays.

Connex said some fares in Sussex had been frozen and some had even fallen. It said the average leisure fare had increased by 3.3 per cent and commuter and season tickets by 0.3 per cent.

The price of a cheap day return from Brighton to London will rise from £14.60 to £14.80, but a seven-day season ticket will still cost £66.

Shelley Atlas, of passengers' group Brighton Line Commuters, said: "The fact is, we should not have to pay more when we have not been getting the service we should get."

Meanwhile, politicians and union representatives have backed the MPs' motion.

Richard Tuke, Brighton representative of the RMT rail workers' union, signed a petition backing it outside Brighton station today.

He was joined by Labour councillor Francis Tonks, Brighton and Hove Socialist Alliance convenor Tom Hickey and Green party councillor Keith Taylor.

The petition will be presented to Parliament when the motion is discussed.

The campaign was launched as rail industry research showed confidence in the railways had plummeted and some passengers may have abandoned the network for good.

The research commissioned by Railtrack said if the rail industry did nothing to restore public confidence, it could take four years for passenger growth to reach pre-Hatfield levels.