THOUSANDS of unsuspecting rail users are buying train tickets at inflated prices - when cash can be saved by buying "split ticket" fares.

Passengers travelling from Barrow, Millom and Ulverston are being overcharged by up to £19 on journeys to Preston, Manchester and Carlisle, according to a study carried out by Rail Easy.

The website which searches for cheaper journeys by splitting the cost of your tickets if there are changes en route, found that passengers who buy a same-day return from Barrow, Millom or Ulverston to Manchester stations can save more than £11 if they split their fares by buying single tickets.

Tony Parker, secretary of the Furness Line Action Group, has condemned train companies for overcharging passengers and has called on the government to sort out the mess.

He said: "It is not unusual for this area and there has been a lot of confusion regarding train ticket prices ever since the privatisation of British Rail.

"The fares that are sometimes quoted are absolutely crazy and somebody at government level needs to sort this out.

"We have raised the issue with a number of local politicians who have asked for the Department of Transport at Westminster to comment on the situation.

"However, all they do is pass the blame on to the train companies by insisting that it is up to them to sort it out.

"It's nonsensical and if you don't know what you are doing it can be very confusing. I am a senior citizen but I know how to work the National Rail website to find the best deals but those who just go to the station on the day to buy a ticket can be ripped off so the system really does need to be simplified."

The Arriva-owned Northern Rail franchise, which is one of the main transport providers in the Furness region, is set to announce new timetables in December 2017, which will ensure that 14 trains go from Barrow to Preston on a daily basis.

However, Mr Parker has criticised the train operator for hiking its prices and confusing customers.

The 77-year-old found out that it costs passengers as little as £10.30 to get from Barrow to Manchester on a Transpennine Express service but £20.10 to get from Barrow to Preston on a Northern Rail train, despite the fact that it takes almost an hour less.

"It's just ludicrous and it makes no sense whatsoever," he said. "The system is crazily complicated.

"We have been kicking Northern Rail for years to offer more advanced fares because at the moment they are falling behind other train operators.

"In my opinion, Transpennine Express services offer the best fares for people in the area.

"If you are going on a long journey it is worth using split ticketing sites because you can find a good deal.

"However, I would also advise people to not use the Trainline because they are rip-off merchants. They don't give you the best prices and they charge a booking fee for their services."

A spokesperson for Northern Rail said: "The issue of ticket prices and split fares is an industry wide problem, and something we have been working hard to solve across our network.

"In particular fare irregularities can occur when more than one rail company operates on a particular route. We will continue to look at ways to resolve the issue and thank you for bringing these to our attention.”

Jill Mojonnier, who volunteers at Millom Discovery Centre which benefits from profits made by the railway station, said: "We have had lots of problems with Northern Rail in that we get a lot of fares which don't seem to make sense.

"Our ticket office in Millom is a franchise of Northern and when it comes to things like split ticketing we do encourage it and the girls who operate the ticket office do their very best to find the best prices for passengers."

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