DISABLED people in Newport are to pilot a new transport scheme for the city.

The council's 12-month flexible transport scheme, NewLink, is aimed at people who cannot use public transport.

A 14-seat minibus was bought using an Assembly grant. A community grant of £4,461 paid to convert it for disabled use. The bus will operate a door-to-door, on-request service to places including the city centre, doctors' surgeries, nominated retail developments and Newport International Sports Village.

It will run three days a week, between 10am and 4pm, and service Bettws, Pill, Tredegar Park, Lliswerry, Stow Hill, Alway, Ringland, Gaer, Maesglas, Shaftsbury and Victoria wards.

Users will need to book at least 24 hours in advance. It will cost £1 per journey.

To qualify, you must be a Newport resident and eligible for an All Wales Concessionary Travel Pass.

Stuart Nixon, 41, from Allt-Yr-Yn, works for the Gwent Healthcare and NHS Trust and sits on Newport council's health, social care and well-being strategy group. He suffers from MS and has been a wheelchair user for 10 years.

Mr Nixon said: "I applaud this but have some reservations. It won't cover the whole city and there are disabled people in every ward.

"Users will be asked to pay even though disabled people are eligible for free public transport and this is the only form of transport offered by the council that wheelchair users can get on to."

Councillor John Guy cabinet member for transport said he hoped the service would be extended as volunteer drivers became available.