Commuters have criticised a looming hike in the cost of rail fares.

The cost of an annual season ticket from Chingford to Liverpool Street will rise by 3 per cent to £1,558 on January 19.

The equivalent ticket from Highams Park will rise by £36 to £1,180 a year.

Commuter Adam Karby, 25, of Kimberly Road in Chingford, lives less than five minutes from Chingford Station but travels from Highams Park station every morning to save money.

He said: “I use Oyster pay-as-you-go to travel to Pimlico from Walthamstow Central using the Victoria Line but I drive to Highams Park because it saves me £3 a to go from Highams Park to Walthamstow rather than from Chingford.

“National Rail fares are expensive and most morning's you don’t even get a seat. It should be the cheaper option to get the train but sometimes it works out better for me financially to drive to work.”

Laura Joseph, 29, of Nelson Road in Highams Park has been using the Highams Park to Liverpool Street line for 10 years.

She said: “There’s nothing much us commuters can do, it is what it is unfortunately. When fares go up each year, they should be improving the services. This line is always being delayed or cancelled, so there is a lot more that can be done.”

Prices on the Tube, DLR and London Overground networks have also increased.

A weekly zone 1 to 4 travelcard will rise by 5 per cent from £43.60 to £45.00, and a monthly travelcard has increased by £5.30 from £167.50 to £172.80.