A BUS user claims he and fellow pensioners have been "conned" by the city council after bus fares doubled.

He said pensioners were furious and many were considering demanding a refund on their concessionary passes.

Norman Hanley, one of 8,500 pensioners throughout the city who paid £12 for their 2005 bus pass last week, said OAPs were expecting a five pence fare increase to 50 pence for short journeys in the new year.

But the 68-year-old, from Windermere Drive, Warndon, said he had discovered that, as well as paying an increase of £4 on last year for his pass, it will now cost him 90p to get into the city centre and back - double what he is paying now.

"We were told that short journeys would increase by five pence," he said.

"What we weren't told is that a short journey will only be one or two stops - it's disgraceful.

"We haven't been told the truth by the city council - they've double-crossed us."

Mr Hanley added that the increased fares could cause a lot of hardship for pensioners who may not be able to go into town as regularly as they used to.

"There are elderly people that rely solely on their pension and they won't be able to afford this price rise," he added.

"One man I know uses the bus five times a week - it will now cost him £10 a month more than it used to, to get to town."

But Stephen Inman, leader of the city council, said many pensioners had misunderstood the concept.

"Most people have understood that a short journey only covers the city centre and St John's," he said.

"But it is the operator First which decides the length of the journeys. And, I'm afraid to say, 'short' really is very short."

First was unavailable for comment when the Evening News went to print.