Ayrshire commuters have been left furious after discovering their ZoneCard prices are about to rocket.

From 24 June, Strathclyde Passenger Transport have updated their ZoneCard map so there are fewer zones and new ticket prices.

And for Ayrshire residents travelling to Glasgow for work, the cost of a 10 week ZoneCard will shoot up from £485 to £892.

SPT said prices had not increased in years while individual bus, rail and subway prices had all gone up with inflation.

Zonecards can be used across most of Ayrshire, apart from Carrick and Doon Valley and eastern and southerly parts of East Ayrshire beyond Auchinleck and Cumnock.

Ardrossan man Patrick Pearse, who commutes to Glasgow by bus and train to his work, said today: "I've found it is zone 5 for Ardrossan and zone two it is going to cost me  £892 for a 10 week ZoneCard, which is an 84 per cent increase.

"These changes are unaffordable and will catch many people out. This is in the middle of a cost of living crisis."

"I have used a zonecard for nearly 20 years and as Stagecoach cut the volume of services to Glasgow from Ardrossan, I usually travel from Ardrossan to Kilwinning and then by train and vice versa when returning home."

Meanwhile, an angry Kilmarnock resident who uses the ZoneCards told the BBC: "SPT seem to be trying to price out the working person from public transport.

"Imagine working to a tight budget and going to buy a ZoneCard and finding out your transport costs have doubled.

"I fear that there will be people in a worse off situation who rely on this card who will simply not be able to afford this price rise."

The SPT ZoneCard mapThe SPT ZoneCard map (Image: SPT)

The ZoneCards can be used to travel on the subway, buses and trains in Glasgow, as well as in most of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde.

People can select which zones they want to travel through, and then apply for anything from a day ticket to a weekly one, all the way up to an annual pass.

A ZoneCard Forum spokeswoman told the BBC: "The current ZoneCard prices have not been increased for several years, while individual bus, rail and subway prices have all increased with inflation.

"As part of the move to the new smart ZoneCard, the new ticket prices have been comprehensively reviewed by the forum for the first time in several years, taking into account current operator pricing as well as the new zone structure.

“ZoneCard is intended to offer good value where customers are travelling regularly using more than one mode of transport several days a week. For single operator travel (e.g. rail only), a single operator ticket will provide better value for money."

She also said the new smart product should be more flexible and convenient to use and renew.

Will you be hit by the big increase in ZoneCard prices? Let us know your reaction.