A ONE-stop shop is bringing cutting edge technology to dial-a-ride transport services.

Durham County Council has simplified its transport services. To book, you now only need one telephone number - 0191-383 5383.

Called Travel Response, the new system has successfully completed a pilot run and is now available to Access bus passengers.

Taxibus and other services will come on line in the autumn as the centre becomes the hub for all dial-a-ride services operated under contract to the county council.

It will mean that people using services such as Brackenhill, South Derwentside and Spennymoor Taxibuses, Ruralride, Lanchester GP Link and East Durham Hospital Visitor Link will call the one number.

Callers will be asked their travel time, destination and whether they need wheelchair access, and a computer system will then identify an available vehicle and send a message direct to the driver to make a booking.

Passengers will be picked up at an agreed venue, with door-to-door services available.

Callers not eligible for the service will be directed to public transport and linked to Traveline for information.

Christine Graham, the county council's rural transport officer said: "Over recent years, the county council and its partners have developed a range of transport initiatives to help people who can't use conventional transport.

"The need to co-ordinate these services quickly became apparent so that the best possible use could be made of them and people using them could do so quickly and easily.''