ELDERLY residents say they have been cut off from Bridport town centre by new laws requiring buses to be more accessible.

Residents from an estate near Bothenhampton can no longer use Damory’s 44 bus as the new vehicles gets damaged in the steep area.

Dorset County Council said it is ‘unfortunate’ that introducing more accessible buses has left elderly residents, many of whom are disabled, unable to access the service.

The new buses must have low floors and drivers cannot make it up the steep Chestnut Road without grounding the bus, and causing damage.

The withdrawn service ran three times a day, four days a week, and residents could request the bus to stop outside homes. But now they are having to pay for taxis or pre-book a Dial-a-Bus service.

Many of those who use the bus cannot walk up the steep estate hill.

Betty Whitefield, a Meech Close resident, said: “That local bus has been a life-saver as there are quite a few of us who use it.

“We can use the Dial-a-Bus, but you have to book it in advance and I often don’t know in time if I will need it. I have to go to the medical centre regularly and that will cost me by having to order taxis every time I go.”

In order to use the bus, residents will have to walk up and down the steep hill to the nearest bus stop near the Crown Roundabout.

Jean Fuller, who lives along Valley Road, said: “It has affected us quite badly really.

“Me and my husband are both in our 80s and it is extremely difficult to walk back up the hill. The only other real alternative is to get a taxi, which would cost about £10 each time for a return trip to town.

"Lots of people use the bus to go into town for doctor’s appointments. If they cannot get to that bus stop then they will be cut off from getting into the town centre.”

The new fleet of buses introduced in February meant the only alternative was to enter Chestnut Road on the wrong side of the road – something the county council, who subsidise the route, says it cannot accept or approve.

Last month, Damory requested to withdraw from the estate as it could not sustain the cost of the damage caused to vehicles.

A DCC spokesperson said: “It is unfortunate that by making improvements to the vehicles, part of the route is not accessible.

"The alternative for those affected provides a bookable door-to-door trip into Bridport three days of the week and we will continue to work with our transport partners to find innovative solutions.”