The Scottish Government says the additional fare rise - which will take effect across Caledonian MacBrayne's Clyde and Hebrides network from March 26 - will "protect lifeline services in the face of today's tough economic climate".

Only commercial vehicles, coaches and multi-journey tickets will be exempt from the additional two per cent levy, which was announced on Tuesday.

Ferry users across the west coast were already bracing themselves for a 2.2 per cent increase in fares from the start of CalMac's summer timetable in two weeks' time.

The announcement - which follows hard on the heels of a decision by SPT to introduce a £1 return fare for Strathclyde concession card holders from April 1 - led to accusations from Argyll and Bute MP Alan Reid that his constituents were being used to subsidise the government's trial of road equivalent tariff (RET) in the Western Isles.

"This above inflation increase is an absolute disgrace," Mr Reid said.

"The SNP slashed fares to the Western Isles. Now they're putting up fares to and from islands and peninsulas in Argyll and Bute in order to find the money to subsidise the cheap fares to the Western Isles.

"It's high time this SNP government did something positive for Argyll and Bute instead of seeing us simply as a source of money for their pet schemes elsewhere."

Meanwhile, holders of Strathclyde Concession Cards on Bute will not be immune from fares increases either, after SPT, which administers the scheme, announced that free ferry travel would end from April 1.

The Bute Forum for Older Voices has written a letter of protest to SPT at the decision, ratified this week, to introduce a £1 return fare for Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme card holders on April 1.

From that date, holders of Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme (SCTS) cards living on the island will have to pay a 60p single fare, or a £1 return, on the Rothesay-Wemyss Bay service.

SPT confirmed it was making amendments to its concession fare scheme because of a combination of increasing demand and a limited budget.

Bruce Kiloh, the organisation's director of policy, said: "We want to secure the long term stability of the concession scheme within tight financial settlements.

"If we do nothing the cost of operating the scheme will continue to rise to well over £5 million, which is unsustainable."

But Forum co-ordinator Dot Gordon said the lack of public consultation on the move was "totally unacceptable".

"The decision to scrap the free travel is concerning to us because the ferry travel is the only method of travelling off the island," she said.

"In effect it is part of our 'bus service', which is currently free to all older people throughout Scotland. It enables islanders to have free access to health care off the island, and to maintain good links with family and friends.

"This decision will cause hardship to some people who currently benefit from free travel off the island, making it impossible for them to travel on the mainland as frequently, if at all, with all the loss of the health and general well-being benefits that it brings."