Families of the 52 innocent people killed in the July 7 bombings said they were left "absolutely devastated" by the decision to hold inquests into the victims' deaths at the same time as those of the bombers.
Graham Foulkes, whose 22-year-old son David was killed in the Edgware Road Tube attacks in London, said the announcement came as a "real blow" and criticised its "insensitivity".
He was speaking after Lady Justice Hallett, a Court of Appeal judge, met with the families to explain she will hold a pre-inquest hearing early next year.
The full inquests are expected to follow in the autumn. She told the families she had no choice but to hold the inquests of the four bombers at the same time as those of the victims, Mr Foulkes said. "I hadn't anticipated that and it came as a real blow," he said.
"The temperature dropped in the room. There was just shock and people were very close to tears."
He said Lady Justice Hallett was "keen to stamp her authority on proceedings, but then said her hands were tied" when it came to hearing all the inquests together. "Just the insensitivity of having the murderers and the victims all being dealt with in the same process and the families mixing together... We had a lot of questions for her."
Mr Foulkes, of Oldham, went on: "It'll be over five years (since the attacks) which brings its own pain. But I really do feel let down again. We're the victims but we seem to get the rough end of the stick every time."
He said the situation was made worse by the fact the victims' families were told they would not be able to receive legal aid to help pay for representation during the inquest, which he expects to last four or five months.
The inquests were opened immediately after the suicide attacks on three London Underground trains and a bus in 2005, but adjourned until the end of criminal cases linked to the bombings. Victims' families have complained about delays in holding the inquests and raised fears about the possibility of secret hearings.
Powers which became law earlier this month allow Justice Secretary Jack Straw to order secret judicial inquiries in place of inquests.
