Theresa Villiers has set out plans to provide millions of rural dwellers left stranded by cuts to bus services with a subsidised 'dial-a-taxi' schem

Theresa Villiers has set out plans to provide millions of rural dwellers left stranded by cuts to bus services with a subsidised 'dial-a-taxi' scheme.

The taxis will operate in a 'round-robin' system, picking up people who are all heading roughly in the same direction – and the service will cost users no more than the price of a bus or local train ticket.

Theresa, the Shadow Transport Secretary, pledged £7million of funding - £1million a year for seven years - to run a pilot scheme. It will be funded using the Department of Transport's Transport Innovation Fund and by scrapping Labour's controversial emphasis on congestion-charging schemes.

Theresa stressed, “People living in the countryside deserve more reliable, affordable, and convenient public transport.”

“Labour has been too quick to ignore the needs of rural areas but Conservatives realise that with the decline of shops, post offices, and services in small villages, this issue has never been more important.”