BUS users believe a planned increase for a crucial route is still "too high" despite McGill's backtracking on original plans. 

The company has tweaked proposals for the X23’s replacement peak service before 9am (XP23), following public pressure. 

A day ticket will now rise from £4.50 to £5.50, a weekly from £18.50 to £24 and a monthly from £61.70 to £80. 

READ MORE: Victory for Renfrewshire bus users as price hike is reduced

Initial plans to increase a day ticket to £7, a weekly to £30 and a monthly to £100 were contested by service users, as almost 1,500 people signed a petition in protest. 

There will be no increases to off-peak prices and no changes to the 23 service.

However, passengers are still unhappy with the decision to increase fares and Jacqueline Graham, who organised the petition, was disappointed by the announcement. 

The 52-year-old from Renfrew said: “I still feel personally that this increase is too high and from talking to other users of the service, no one is happy about it. 

“It’s still going to be a struggle for people who have to find the money to cover costs. People can’t afford to use the new XP23 services at these prices, so everyone will use the cheaper one which takes longer. 

“This affects people who have other commitments in the morning, such as dropping kids at school or nursery, as they now need longer to travel. 

“Once McGill’s decision is made clear, we, the passengers, will have our say.”

The X23 and 23 services are a vital link to Glasgow for those living in Erskine, Inchinnan and Renfrew.

Ralph Roberts, managing director of McGill’s, was “confident” that passengers would be happy with the decision, which will come into effect on April 1. 

The number of peak time vehicles will increase from 12 to 16, including a combination of coaches, new buses and some double deckers.

The new XP23 that serves Erskine will operate straight on the motorway at Erskine Hospital, with the Renfrew side of the service starting at Inchinnan village, through to Renfrew and into Glasgow. 

Mr Roberts said: “Following two lively public consultation meetings with users of our 23 and X23 services we are pleased to announce these changes.

“With the introduction of new low emission buses, separate pre-9am routes for Erskine and Renfrew passengers and other benefits such as free WiFi and USB charging, we are confident that users of these routes will be happy with the outcome.

READ MORE: Over 1,500 sign petition against fare hike

“Customer feedback is the backbone of any business improvement plan and we would like to thank everyone who took the trouble to attend these meetings and make their views known. 

“In terms of punctuality, McGill’s can control around only 10 per cent of the factors affecting this and I call on politicians to look at ways of making bus journeys less affected by congestion, roadworks and general disruption.”