COMMUTERS travelling from Cam and Dursley to Bristol every day are among those paying the most for train tickets in the UK.

The 35-minute route came fourth in a list of the top 10 most expensive rail commutes outside of London in a new study.

Research by Veygo Magazine revealed that commuters are paying £229.70 for a monthly rail pass from Cam and Dursley to Bristol.

Wendy Thomas, chairman of the Cam & Dursley Transportation Group said: “It is shocking to see that Cam & Dursley to Bristol is on the top ten most expensive commuter rail journeys outside London.

“I expect regular local commuters will be unhappy to have this confirmed, in light of the fact that we are a small rural station with minimal facilities, and our trains are often standing-room only when returning from Bristol during the evening rush hour.

“The reality of our expensive and privatised rail system is that the cost dissuades people from using it.”

“My husband and I were both working in Bristol until recently and it was far cheaper for us to commute together by car than it was for each of us to take the train.

“This of course is bad for the environment and increases vehicle traffic into an already busy city.”

However, a spokesman for GWR said the findings of the research were unreliable, as they were not comparing ‘like for like’.

He said :”It is very difficult to comment on this research as it is not comparing like for like.

“The list features rail journeys of different distances for example.

“Journeys of different distances are priced differently.

“In their Bristol example, the report cites a driving cost (compared to rail costs) of almost half but doesn’t state where people are driving from or what is included in that cost.

“At £129.90 per month that is significantly less than what is regarded as the average cost of running a car (£160 per month) and excludes the additional cost of buying a car in the first place (average finance repayment is over £220 per month).

“By contrast an annual rail season ticket between Cam and Dursley and Bristol Temple Meads works out at £4.60 per journey, or just over 17 pence per mile.”