A "USE IT or lose it" warning has been sounded by the organisers of a community dial-a-bus scheme in Christchurch.

The weekly service now being trialled was set up to meet a demand for easy access transport for elderly and disabled people unable to use conventional buses.

The need was identified by the borough's community partnership. And the scheme was adopted as one of the official charities of the Mayor of Christchurch, Cllr Josephine Spencer, who inaugurated the service at the end of July.

But despite the claimed public demand, take-up has so far been slow and Christchurch council community strategy officer Natalie Murray said the service could be axed at the end of the current trial period if it was under-used.

She said: "The need for a demand-led service was identified by residents of Christchurch during the borough-wide consultation upon which the Christchurch Community Plan was established.

"The Travel and Access Action Group has worked jointly with Christchurch Older People's Forum to develop this service, which is running for a four-month period until mid-November.

"If Dial A Bus is under used the service will fold."

The Dial-A-Bus operates on Thursday mornings to collect passengers from their homes and bring them to the town centre.

The service alternates weekly between the east and west of the borough, picking up in Hurn, St Catherine's, Fairmile, Jumpers and King's Avenue one week and Walkford, Highcliffe, Hinton, Mudeford, Somerford, Burton and Purewell the following week.

The cost of the return trip is £3, plus a one-off £1 charge to sign up for the service.

To find out more or register for the Dial-a-Bus service, call Natalie Murray at the council offices on 01202 495111.

First published: August 31