People living on an Oxford estate have won their fight for free transport to attend medical appointments after their local surgery closed.

Oxford City Primary Care Trust (PCT) has agreed to fund a mini-bus service to take patients unable to use public transport from the Northway Estate in Marston to the North Oxford Medical Centre in Woodstock Road.

The service, solely for people who cannot use public transport due to chronic illness, frailty, or mobility problems, is the first transport scheme of its kind to be funded by Oxford City PCT. The trust agreed to provide the service in response to pressure from Northway residents at public meetings held in July and September.

Sarah Breton, director of primary and community services at the trust, said: "There is a core of around 100 elderly, frail people who could only just make it to the Northway branch surgery, let alone the main surgery in Woodstock Road.

"We asked people for their views about the closure and the bottom line was concern for elderly patients receiving a guaranteed transport service for as long as they need it."

The service will be provided by Monarch Transport Services, which also works with the Oxfordshire Ambulance Service.

It will be available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Betty Fletcher, vice-chairman of the Northway, Old Marston and Marston Tenants and Residents' Association, said: "We are very pleased that we held open meetings and invited the PCT along to let them know that the situation was disgusting for older people on the estate.

"We are very pleased with the outcome and hope people will make use of the service.

"I would encourage other communities placed in this situation to do the same because it proves that by standing together you can come up with an alternative."

The medical centre's Northway branch closed at the end of December last year leaving patients with a 15-minute walk to Woodstock Road.