Train passengers in the region will have to pay more to travel from next year after it was announced fares would rise in January.

The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said the cost of train tickets would rise by an average of 6.2pc in the new year.

ATOC says that above inflation fare rises are the result of a change in government policy in recent years which has sought to sustain investment in the railways by reducing the amount that taxpayers contribute and requiring passengers to pay more.

According to the Office of Rail Regulation, the average price paid for a single journey is currently �4.89; applying the 6.2pc increase to this would see the average single fare rise to �5.19 in January.

But all the region’s main train operators have announced that their fare increases will be below the average price announced by ATOC.

A spokesman for National Express East Anglia, which operates out of Norwich, said: “National Express East Anglia train fares will rise by an average of 5.9pc in January. These increases reflect government policy in helping to sustain continued investment in the railways.”

The spokesman said customers would be able to obtain details of specific fares when they become available via the National Rail Enquiries and train station companies website in the next few days.

Meanwhile, East Midlands Trains announced that the average fare on its network, which includes services from Norwich to Nottingham and Liverpool, was to rise by 5.6pc.

Managing director Tim Shoveller said: “On average, our passengers will pay just 66p more for their journey, while continuing to benefit from a multi-million pound investment programme.”

First Capital Connect, which runs services from King’s Lynn, will announced a rise of 5.5pc which means that the Lynn to London anytime day return, which is currently �44.50, will rise to �47 and the weekly return will rise from �109 to �117.50.

Passengers using First Capital Connect will also see station car park tariffs increase by an average of 8.5pc from January which includes a 2.5pc increase in VAT.