SCORES of commuters in the south are facing train fare increases under government plans to scrap price caps on long-distance fares.

Transport chiefs were due to announce today the end to "protected" fares on commuter season tickets, which had kept rises below the rate of inflation.

It is likely to mean tickets costing around four per cent more. Passenger groups have slammed the moves, branding it "unjustified".

Season ticket holders commuting between Southampton and London on South West Trains currently pay £3,332 a year, which could now rise to £3,465 from January. It would have gone up to £3,398 if the new pricing system was not going to be introduced.

And in three years' time train firms may even be able to ignore guidelines and set their own prices for saver tickets if they improve services in the coming months.

The expected announcement comes in the same week it was revealed as many as 20 per cent of trains are still not running on time and that more services could be cut to enable remaining ones to run more punctually.

Tim Nicholson, chairman of the Rail Passengers Committee for Southern England, said: "As far as we are concerned passengers should not be asked to pay more in fares until there are decent performances.

"We do not think it's acceptable, it's unjustified. We will be opposing it."

Figures released by train regulator, the Strategic Rail Authority, this week revealed only 80.5 per cent of trains nationally ran on time in the first three months this year, down from 80.9 per cent in 2002.

South West Trains' routes were 72.2 per cent on time, an improvement of one per cent on the same period the previous year.

Mr Nicholson said: "The latest figures give us no encouragement at all.

"People are always saying it's going to get better but it hasn't yet.

"There's no justification in the rise either in performance terms or any other terms."

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling was expected to announce the changes in Parliament this afternoon.

The existing price cap is inflation, currently just under three per cent, minus one per cent, which is likely to be replaced by inflation plus one per cent before being phased out completely by 2006.

Are we getting value for money from the railways - see tomorrow's Daily Echo.