MPs could investigate Government plans to cut overcrowding by increasing passenger fares on the busiest morning trains into Birmingham.

The controversial Strategic Rail Authority proposal to "price-off demand" - in the absence of more money to introduce more services - was confirmed earlier this summer and it is set to form part of a Transport Select Committee inquiry into the structure of UK rail fares.

A spokeswoman for the committee said: "The committee knows all about this plan and is aware of similar ideas being suggested for other areas.

"Interested parties can write to us before early October and much of what will be considered by the committee will come from this correspondence and evidence given at a hearing later in the year."

A spokesman for the West Midlands passenger transport executive Centro said the body had strongly argued against the SRA proposal, which is designed to spread out the morning rush at New Street over a longer period, during the consultation phase earlier in the year.

Councillor Gary Clarke (Con Walsall Streetly), chairman of the region's Passenger Transport Authority, added: " We would be very interested to hear MPs' views on this. Fare structure should offer the passenger value for money and make rail travel more attractive."

Transport officials in the West Midlands are furious the idea has progressed to rail industry policy given that significant increases in train commuting into Birmingham is one of the few public transport success stories in the UK since the Labour government came to office in 1997.

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee report is not expected until at least the end of the year.