Rail season ticket prices will be cut as an apology to Sussex commuters for poor service standards during the past year.

But off-peak tickets will rise by an average inflation-busting 2.5 per cent.

The new fares will be introduced from January 6.

The main Sussex rail operator, South Central, which sets fares south of the River Thames, said the price cut was "our way of saying sorry" to regular travellers for the problems in the past year.

The changes follow the publication of figures this week showing the worst punctuality record for all train companies operating out of Sussex.

One in seven trains between April and October was more than five minutes late.

Many of the delays were the knock-on effect of the Hatfield rail crash in October last year, which prompted speed limits and other operating restrictions during a massive rail replacement programme.

Under the new fare structure, all annual, quarterly and monthly season ticket prices will be cut by an average of five per cent when they are renewed after January 6.

The price of an annual season ticket from Brighton to London, without the use of the Underground, will fall from £2,640 to £2,620 but passengers renewing their tickets will get an extra five per cent discount.

This means employees considering leaving lower-paid jobs in the Brighton area will need to be paid a minimum of £3,300 more to recoup the cost of travelling to London.

A seven-day South Central Travel Card from Brighton to London with use of all zones on the Underground will fall from £77 to £76.50. The cost of a weekly travel card without the Underground will fall from £66 to £65.50.

Commuters from Haywards Heath will get the biggest reduction - 5.8 per cent off the price of their monthly season tickets. The annual season ticket price will fall by 4.6 per cent.

Richard Northcott, of the Rail Passengers Committee for Southern England, said: "Any reduction is good but you have to measure this against poor service over the past year."

South Central spokesman Marsid Greenidge said: "The reduction is for all the inconvenience in the wake of the Hatfield disaster. It is our way of saying sorry.

"Although we only took over the franchise at the end of August, we have had the knock-on effect of Hatfield.

"The increase for off-peak fares is only just above the current low inflation rate. We are committed to improving the service on all our lines."