Angry commuters say they are paying more money for a worse train service after fares this week shot up by their steepest rise in five years.

Prices for season tickets shot up 3.6% with many travellers in the town already having to stomach some of the highest prices in the country.

It means annual season tickets from Herne Bay station now cost £4,900 for regular services – and £5,936 for taking advantage of the high speed route to St Pancras.

Train operator Southeastern has said the hike – which is above the industry average of 3.4% – was needed to continue improvements to the rail network.

But Peter Lee, 66, a long-time commuter from the town, believes the service is the worst it has ever been.

“Every time a new timetable comes out the service gets worse and more coaches disappear from the trains,” he said.

“When I first started commuting 55 years ago a train from Herne Bay to Cannon Street, which only stopped once en route, would get to London in an hour and a quarter, but it now takes an hour and a half.”

The hike covers season tickets, as well as anytime, off peak and super off peak day tickets.

Mr Lee added: “Why on earth are we in Kent still being penalised by having to pay extra on top of what’s already too much for a poor service?”

The price rise of 3.4% is linked to the RPI measure of inflation and imposed by the government. The remainder is added by Southeastern.

Simon Warley, the chair of Herne Bay Labour, said: “Fares have gone up 30% since 2010 – twice as much as wages.

“People perhaps would be willing to pay more if the service was improving, but it isn’t.

“We think the railways should be taken back into public ownership because we think it will lower the fares and provide a better service.”

A spokesman for Southeastern said: “We understand that no one likes to see prices go up, but we continue to invest in a better experience for our customers, including station improvements, customer facing staff and enhancements to train services.

"Revenue from ticket sales is vital to help pay for these improvements.”