Protests are taking place at rail stations today following a rise of 1.8% in ticket prices.

Action for Rail has organised a day of action, calling for a publicly owned railway with affordable fares to end the so-called #RailRipOff.

Campaigners have been joined by Labour councillors at Rochester, Chatham and Snodland stations.

A spokesman for Action for Rail said: “Public ownership of rail could deliver cheaper fares.

"If the lines up for renewal this parliament were taken back into public ownership, that could save around £1.5bn – which could fund a 10% cut in season tickets and other regulated fares from 2017.

"A third (£520m) of this £1.5bn saving would come from recouping the money private train companies pay in dividends to their shareholders.”

When the fare increase was announced in December, a spokesperson for Southeastern said: “The overall average fare rise for Southeastern next year is 1.8 per cent, which is below the national average of 2.3%.

"It is also slightly under the national rise set by the government’s for regulated fares of 1.9% - which is for season tickets and peak time fares.

“We understand that value for money is a priority for our passengers and that’s why we are offering discounts and freezing prices on specific off peak fares, which are the ones under our control.

“Fares revenue contributes to the maintenance and future investment of services, as well as rail infrastructure. Over the next three years, we are investing millions of pounds refurbishing trains and stations, and providing better quality information to help people with their journeys.

“In addition to this, we have taken on 300 extra frontline staff to assist passengers, we have invested five million pounds in repainting and revamping all the 165 stations we manage, and one third of our entire train fleet are currently undergoing a rigorous refurbishment.”