THE fare-paying travelling public are being taken for a ride by transport firms hiking prices above inflation.

In the last year or so we have seen bus fares in Glasgow 'restructured' , i.e. increased, into a two-fare system, meaning a short journey of just six stops can cost almost £2.

If you need to change buses to get to your destination, that'll be another £1.85 thank you very much.

Now this week we are told rail fares will go up by 4.2%, piling even more misery on folk travelling to work to jobs where they have been told there is no room for a wage rise.

The Subway, while still cheaper than the bus, is also planning to stick another 20p on a ticket.

So there is no escape, if you want to get around Glasgow on public transport it will cost you more. If you want to go further afield it is even worse.

A 6.2% increase on train tickets if you are heading south of the border will add to the already exorbitant rail fares.

The switching of the franchise from Virgin to First Group might cost even more if critics are to be believed.

This week I researched prices for a trip to Manchester on a Saturday so compared train, car and bus.

First stop Virgin Trains. For two adults taking three hours 20 minutes with changes, Mr Branson wants to charge me £121. I'll get back to you Richard.

Maybe I'll drive. It's a 440-mile round trip and I calculate that's two tanks of petrol, which will set me back at least £80, thanks to Mr Osborne and his predecessors' high fuel duty.

Still better, but think of the hours of driving. How about the bus? It takes a bit longer, gets home later, but will only cost £44 in total.

So bus it is. But how come a 220-mile trip to Manchester can cost £11, but from Partick to Argyle Street £1.85?

Transport is an essential service and it must be better regulated to be affordable and sustainable.

If government and the rail and local bus firms are serious about getting people off the roads and onto the trains and public transport they will have to make it a more financially viable option.

Otherwise we will still have gridlocked roads and high-speed trains whizzing from city to city but the only people on board will be EuroMillions winners.