Rail travellers in Putney expressed anger last week at a raft of proposals ranging from closing more ticket offices and selling tickets in libraries to charging more for a new 'super-peak' rate.

Their local MP, transport secretary Justine Greening had just announced the proposals which she said would smooth out peak demand and "root out inefficiency so we can deliver real value for money that ends inflation-busting fare rises once and for all’.

She said: "It's time to bring fares out of the 1970s and into the 21st Century.

"We will move to a more transport, modern and flexible approach to fares and ticketing."

But her ideas received an angry reception from people using Putney station.

Serbijit Sadhra, 40, who works for the Metropolitan Police, said: "I'm not happy about it - for the level of service the price is too high."

Bisnath Balgobin, 51, a carpenter, said: "We just paid a price hike, putting the peak fair up is diabolical.

"They should not do this just after putting it up really, this is not justice for the working man."

Kate Hogarth, a police officer from Putney said: "I think the fares are extortionate. I don't think they should go up, they should be coming down."

Anthony Smith, passenger focus chief executive, said: "Changes to off peak long distance fares regulation represent a leap in the dark.

"The affordable, walk up railway could easily disappear as passengers are forced to be inflexible and book ahead.

"No-one really knows how passengers will change behaviour - any changes will have to be monitored very carefully to ensure the effect on passengers is well known and understood."