A rise in rail fares – which could add £143 to the cost of commuting from Cambridge to Kings Cross next year – is another “kick in the teeth” for hardworking commuters, says Labour MP Daniel Zeichner.

Speaking as the annual regulated rail fare rise announcement was made, the MP, who is a leading member of the transport select committee, called for the railways to be taken back into public ownership.

He said: “Passenger satisfaction is at a decade low. Many people are seeing fares go up but their wages stay the same. My constituents tell me they feel like cash cows and rail bosses don’t care. The power outage that caused King’s Cross to be closed last week was the second time in a month that thousands of my constituents found themselves stranded in London. Commuters endure misery each time there are major rail failures, yet nothing seems to change. It’s time to treat passengers with dignity and treat the railways as a public service. Labour would bring our railways into public ownership. This would mean capped fairs, more reliable services and more investment. It’s time to put passengers first, not profit.”

The announcement confirmed a 2.8% price increase.