TO PARAPHRASE 17th-century writer Daniel Defoe, nothing is certain in life except death and the fact that the Government is going to increase train fares every December.

It would have come as no shock to most commuters that their £920 season tickets will cost £25 more in the new year, or to less frequent travellers who will, for example, have to pay 10p more for a return ticket between Bolton and Chorley.

But what is perhaps a surprise is the difference between how bus and rail firms are treating their customers.

While rail fares are going up, bus fares are going down.

First Manchester has not only reduced the price of a day ticket from £4.50 to £4, it has also reduced the price of weekly tickets for customers travelling between Little Hulton and Manchester, from £13.50 to £10.

Lancashire Bus has also reduced fares on one of its Burnley to Manchester routes.

While Northern Rail's rolling stock continues to rust away, with no sign of replacement, First Manchester has brought in lots of new buses, which are warm and comfortable.

What’s more – when you buy a weekly bus ticket, you know what you are getting for your money.

On the train, however, those who forked out big bucks for an annual season ticket in January will have experienced six weeks of buses replacing trains on the Bolton to Preston line due to engineering works and, even now, if you want to get from Manchester to Bolton after 11pm, you have to go by coach.

Train users will no doubt feel an injustice has been done as they are being asked to pay more for a reduced service.

They could learn a thing or two from bus firms in the interests of getting more people off the roads and onto public transport.