FAMILIES of people with disabilities will have to fork out double for special buses to take their loved ones to day centres.

The Borough of Poole revealed that from April 9 it is increasing the cost of bussing disabled adults to council day services from £2 to £5.20 per day.

Many angry families claim they cannot afford the increase.

Raymond Jarvis, 68, from Alderney Avenue, said his severely autistic 28-year-old son travels to Sea View Day Centre in a special bus daily.

"We're on income support and we just can't afford the new price," he said.

Dad-of-three Anthony Merrifield, 63, from Oakdale, who cares full-time for his 35-year-old son Jason, who has learning disabilities, said: "Petrol hasn't gone up that much. I can understand if they had put it up by 20 or 30 per cent, but this is ridiculous."

The council claims the increase reflects the steep rise in transport costs in recent years, which until now it claims has not been passed on in charges.

Strategic director for adult social services Jan Thurgood said: "We appreciate rises in charges can come as unwelcome news.

"In recent years charges for day services have compared very favourably with those in neighbouring authorities, with no charges made for attendance and modest annual increases for meals and transport."

Borough of Poole recently approved a budget which allocated more than £1 million in extra cash to adult social services to make sure more people have access to social care.

Cabinet member Cllr Elaine Atkinson, whose portfolio is community support, said: "We were faced with a dilemma of removing the moderate level of care which we deliver. The majority of people who use social services transport are in receipt of higher-level disability allowance therefore they are entitled to transport benefit.

"We took that in to consideration in order to keep delivering a moderate level care."