There has been a public outcry following the hike in Stagecoach bus prices which means it now costs £5.40 for a three-mile return journey between Fairlie and Largs.
The price has gone up 70p from £4.70 for a return ticket, while it now costs £7.20 for a return ticket from West Kilbride to Largs, up from £6.30.
Bus users on local community websites have blasted the price hike, which they say is unreasonable and too much to pay during a cost-of-living crisis.
And Conservative Councillor Todd Ferguson has told the News he is not surprised by the public outcry as he slammed the fare rises.
He said: "It is absolutely outrageous the price hikes going on in terms of public transport.
"The Scottish government is quite rightly encouraging people to use public transport to tackle the climate emergency but what incentive is there?
"These costs are prohibitive to those who regularly use the bus and the whole approach needs a re-think and questions need to be asked.
"It is crazy during a cost-of-living crisis to be ramping the prices up through the roof and it is fairly obvious when a bus passes by you empty where the problem lies.
"I would strongly encourage the local MSPs to get on board with this and try and speak to Transport Scotland about this.
"It is simply not sustainable and if you are wanting to encourage people on public transport by putting barriers up like this it simply is not going to work.
"There are lots of people who regularly need the bus to go to their work or education and they will certain be feeling the additional cost burden."
SNP Councillor Alan Hill said: "I think this is a shocking increase - and it is totally unrealistic.
"It flies in the face of getting people out of their cars and onto buses and you can be sure you won't be paying that kind of price for that kind of mileage elsewhere on the Stagecoach 585 route.
"It begs the question if bus passes are going to continue to be affordable if these are the kinds of charges being passed onto the Scottish government to pay for too.
"For what is effectively a three mile journey I am struggling to see the justification."
Stagecoach West Scotland confirmed changes to bus fares from April 2.
Fiona Doherty, managing director of Stagecoach West Scotland said: “With operating costs continuing to rise, we are making changes to our fares to prioritise investment in our people, our fleet and our customers.
“We understand the cost-of-living pressures our customers face, and we realise that fare increases are not welcome however, we strongly believe our fares still represent good value for money.”
Ms Doherty continued: "Stagecoach has encountered several challenges including the global Covid 19 pandemic, industry-wide recruitment shortages, and rising costs. The cost-of-living crisis has impacted businesses, and there have been significant increases to its three largest costs – wages, fuel, and engineering parts.
"Priorities and focus will remain on securing and rebuilding networks where possible and taking positive steps toward achieving our vision for decarbonisation.
"All of this is vital to support the country's green recovery and meet our own net-zero ambitions while supporting the policies set out by the Scottish Government and local authority stakeholders.
"With bus passenger numbers still needing to return to the pre-pandemic level, it is vital that as commercial bus operators, Stagecoach make decisions that will future-proof the viability of its network for our customers and colleagues."
The emergency funding provided by the Scottish Government to ensure a level of bus service for people to access local amenities, which would not have been commercially sustainable has been reduced over the past 12 months and from March 31, was withdrawn altogether.
As a result of the change, all fares have increased by an average of 15 per cent across bus services operated by Stagecoach West Scotland.
To find the best value fare, please download the Stagecoach Bus app or visit stagecoachbus.com/tickets.
Tickets include single, return, day travel, fully flexible bundles, and weekly and longer-term options depending on your travel habits.
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