A “CUT-OFF” community now has access to an important bus route again after a company stepped in to provide the service.

In October, First Dorset scrapped the service six bus that went from Wyke Regis to Weymouth via Lanehouse Rocks Road, Fiveways and Pye Hill.

Due to concerns about residents being cut off by the lack of a service, Weymouth and Portland Borough councillor Kate Wheller contacted South West Coaches. With its help, a new alternative service has been set up.

South West Coaches has now altered the existing 206 service from Wyke Regis to Weymouth to create the 206a, which will travel along Wyke Road, and the 206b which will serve residents from the Littlesea Estate, Lanehouse Estate and Pye Hill.

The new route will go along Lanehouse Rocks Road and incorporate Chickerell Road and Pye Hill. The service will run from today.

Cllr Wheller said: “I met people who had friends at both ends of Lanehouse and they were cut off from each other, particularly the members of the community who didn’t drive. There is quite a large community of older people and they had no way of getting in to town if they weren’t car drivers.”

The first service will leave Wyke High Street at 8am from Monday to Friday and 9am on Saturday; there is no service on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

Cllr Wheller called on people to keep the service going by using it.

She said: “South West Coaches has now stepped in. It really is an important route. I’m really delighted. The most important thing now is that people have to use the bus. They can’t run it if it is half empty.”

The routes will be circular with most throughout the day starting and finishing at Debenhams.

The 206a will go in one direction, first going to Wyke High Street and Walker Crescent before going on to Lanehouse, while the 206b will serve Lanehouse first.

The last 206a leaves Debenhams at 5.45pm while the last 206b leaves at 5.15pm.

Stephen Seaman, supervisor at South West Coaches, met with Cllr Wheller and residents from the area to celebrate the new route.

For the full timetable, go to www.southwestcoaches.co.uk