DISGRUNTLED rail passengers in Yate are planning a ticket boycott in protest at their train service.

Hundreds of station users are expected to protest against a rise in fares and poor performance by First Great Western.

The rail company increased the price of passenger tickets by 10 per cent at the start of this year.

Organisers are to hand out fake tickets to commuters on Monday, January 28 from 7.30am for the morning revolt.

David Youell, aged 28, of Shire Way, Yate, is heading the strike.

He catches the 8.10am train to Bristol Parkway and the 4.50pm back to Yate every day, and claims his train is nearly an hour late over an average working week.

"It is time for people in Yate to stand up and be counted," he told the Gazette.

"Our station is no more than a glorified bus shelter and the service we receive is appalling.

"Since I started using this station six months ago the trains have become less punctual and we have fewer carriages.

"The result is a very packed and uncomfortable journey every day which we are now paying more for.

"I travel to Bristol everyday and haven't been able to sit down for months because of overcrowding.

"It is enough to turn any rail passenger back to their car."

The protest will be part of a day of ticket boycotts being organised by rail passenger campaign group More Train Less Strain (MTLS).

MTLS is hoping to build on a small-scale protest held in the West Country last year, during which passengers refused to buy tickets, instead producing specially-printed protest tickets.

It voted for the 'No Way to Run a Railway Day' strike at a group meeting in Bath on Tuesday.

Mr Youell added: "We heard about the campaign group's protest and wanted to get our voices heard too.

"We want to let First Great Western know we have had enough of timetable changes, inflated prices and a reduction in carriages.

"We expect ticket collectors on the train to take our fake tickets like they did in similar protests last year.

"The protest is to highlight passenger conditions and call for change. Something needs to be done before we all hop back in our cars."

First Great Western spokesman Lance Cole said: "We are happy to receive any constructive criticism or advice from our customers and their representatives.

"We have already met with MTLS on a number of occasions and have taken note of the representations they have made.

"We accept the right of those who wish to voice their concerns but on behalf of our passengers and in the interests of safety, we would encourage them not to attempt to disrupt our services."