BUS users are in for a double whammy shock next week - an increase in fares followed by timetable changes.

Buses of Somerset is hiking single tickets by 20p and returns by 30p from Sunday, while adult day tickets go up by £1, child day tickets 50p and family day tickets £2.

But that's nothing compared to the up to 60 per cent single ticket increases for some routes, including Taunton services to Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea, Wellington, Minehead and Glastonbury and Wells.

A £2 single on those routes will soar to £3,20, with a £3 fare rising to £4.20 and £4 ticket going up to £5.20.

A £3 return will be £4.80, a £4.50 both ways ticket becomes £6.30 and you'll pay £7.80 instead of £6.

Weekly and monthly ticket prices are unchanged.

Wellington passenger Ben Worth said: "Great - and we're supposed to be encouraged to use public transport.

"A return ticket to Wellington is going to cost an extra £1.80 - how can they justify that?"

Another bus user from North Petherton who works in Taunton said he was "disgusted" by the increases and the lack of warning from the bus operator.

A Buses of Somerset spokesman blamed the "last option" increases - the first in more than three years - on rising operation costs and the need to make the company "more sustainable".

He added: "We still feel that The Buses of Somerset journeys represent good value for money.

"According to the latest National Fares Survey, our single fares for shorter journeys in Taunton remain below the average in the UK and our weekly tickets at £15 for the Taunton inner zone, which aren’t increasing, are substantially cheaper than the national average.

“The longer journeys that travel across the county will have a higher increase.

"As these journeys are a significant distance – and were on a promotional low fares for quite some time – we felt it was necessary to bring them more in line with the industry standard and to ensure the sustainability of these particular routes.”

Meanwhile, tweaks to bus timetables coming into force on Tuesday have left Martyn Cridland, of Priorswood, in Taunton, "angry, disgusted and shocked".

Mr Cridland says people in Priorswood have been shown "a total disregard" will some stops abolished, adding that he will be forced to walk to work at Asda.

"I rely on the bus to get to work as I have problems walking," he said.

"Come the winter, how are we supposed to get anywhere in the cold, wet and icy conditions?"

The Buses of Somerset spokesman said: "The service changes that we’re introducing have come after reviewing customer feedback and to better match the level of demand.

"These changes have been designed to make many of the routes operate more reliably and punctually, but without inconveniencing the travel plans for our passengers.

"Alongside the slight timetable and route adjustments we’re making across some of our network, many of our passengers will benefit from these changes. - for instance, on Service 2 the new direct link we’ve created between Monkton Heathfield and Taunton Railway Station will be warmly received by residents in the new housing estate.”