Stranded bus passengers campaigning to reinstate a route to their doctors' surgery have scored a minor success as Stagecoach has 'tweaked' its timetable to stop there.

More than 70 pensioners staged a protest outside Donnington Health Centre, Iffley Road, in East Oxford, last month after Stagecoach halved the service.

Bosses have now decided the 16A should stop at the surgery at 3.24pm on weekdays. Many patients in Oxford are paying up to £8 for a return taxi, with many turning up late for GP appointments.

The bus route used to run every half an hour, but now runs only every hour due to cutbacks imposed in June. During the protests, many elderly pensioners were joined by Littlemore and Rose Hill councillors. City councillor for Littlemore, John Tanner, said: "It's certainly not enough, but a tiny step in the right direction.

"Elderly people in particular are very angry about all this because Stagecoach has left them high and dry."

Stagecoach has also made amendments to the bus timetables meaning extra evening and afternoon services on the route 12, 12A and 12B which serve Greater Leys.

Buses 16 and 16A will have one additional return trip in the afternoon at 5.45pm from Minchery Farm to the city centre, and continue to run every half an hour until 6.45pm.

Changes to the timetable mean the 16A sees one journey extended in the afternoon to and from Florence Park, providing an extra link home for people attending Donnington Health Centre. The route changes will begin this week.

A Stagecoach spokesman said the company had not put extra buses on the route, adding: "The reason the extra route to the health centre has been added is because of tweaks made to timetables. Many passengers need to go to Cowley centre and by adding this service, we will serve the needs of the majority of our passengers."