Passengers in a Wiltshire village are now able to pre-book a bus to take them wherever they need to go, without waiting at the stop.

Wiltshire Connect’s new service will allow residents to travel between any designated pick-up and drop-off point.

The pre-bookable, on-demand nature of the service cuts out unnecessary travel to empty stops, by matching up journeys with other passengers travelling in the same direction.

The service was introduced in the Vale of Pewsey on July 31 and will be expand to Marlborough and Hungerford on September 4.

Buses will operate between 6am-8pm Monday to Friday, and 7am-7pm on Saturdays, with an adult bus fare costing £2 and only £1 for under 21s.

“I think it’s brilliant news,” said Devizes resident Carole Berry.

“It will be especially useful for me from Devizes to Pewsey for the railway. It’s just a pity that it doesn’t run later, but still it’s very welcome news."

Passengers simply book a minibus to arrive at one of the designated pick-up point by using the Wiltshire Connect app or by calling 01225 712900.

They will then be able to track their bus in the app to see how far away it is, similar to the Uber app.

Journeys are paid for in the app or with the driver, and all minibuses feature air conditioning and USB charging points.

In an attempt to make its new bus service as accessible as possible, Wiltshire Connect has also emphasised that pick-up and alight points closer to home may be possible for passengers with mobility problems or living in an isolated location.

These passengers should call and speak to the booking team in advance.

“Wiltshire Connect is a revolutionary new bus service that will serve thousands of Wiltshire residents, connecting communities and helping to tackle rural isolation,” said leader of Wiltshire Council, Richard Clewer.

“The new services combine semi-flexible and on-demand buses to take people where they want to go, at a time that suits them and for a reasonable price – it’s really very easy to use,” he added.

The new buses, which will feature striking green branding, are being funded by a £1.2m grant from the Government’s Rural Mobility Fund following a successful bid by the council.

Full details of pick up points including a map can be found on the Wiltshire Connect website.