A bus service that links Kidlington with Oxford’s hospitals has been revived.

The Grovelands leg of the number 700 service, connecting Kidlington to the John Radcliffe, Churchill and Nuffield hospitals in Headington, was due to be withdrawn in December as it was considered no longer commercially viable.

But RH Buses has now announced a limited service will continue, due to customer demand.

Operations and marketing director Dilwyn Roberts said that the service would still run through to Kidlington from December 13, but only during peak times, before 8.30am and after 3.15pm.

At all other times, the 700 will operate from Water Eaton park-and-ride, on the southern edge of the village.

Mr Roberts said there would be a slight fare increase and a seven-day travelcard would cost £17.

Andrew Hornsby-Smith, of Kidlington Parish Council, said: “We are obviously disappointed that the service will be reduced outside peak hours, but we are relieved that some aspect has been retained.

“I would like to see better advertising of the service, however, as I believe this would lead to an increased number of people using it.”

Oxfordshire County Council had been in talks with both the bus company and hospital management, with a view to finding a way to keep the link between Kidlington and the hospitals.

The county council provides a £76,000-a-year subsidy for the route between Water Eaton and the hospitals, but said it would struggle to fund the Kidlington extension, which RH runs on a commercial basis.

Councillor Rodney Rose, cabinet member for transport, called the hospital link “an essential service”.

Route 700 is used by patients and hospital staff and is the only direct bus route to the Oxford hospitals from Kidlington.

Outside peak hours, staff and patients based in Kidlington will have to take two buses in order to travel to the hospitals.