A lifeline has been thrown to a transport charity for the elderly and infirm – but fare increases and timetable changes are on the way.

Two councils are to continue funding Wycombe Dial-A-Ride and lend it £35,000 – but today insisted the charity had to bring costs down.

The service helps about 400 elderly and infirm people and those with disabilities in the district who cannot use public transport.

Wycombe District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council today released a joint statement on the agreement.

Dia;-A-Ride was not available for comment.

The statement said the councils “have committed to maintaining the current level of funding for the next three years”.

It said: “In addition to this funding commitment, an action plan has been put into place to enable the organisation to provide a more efficient service.

“This plan incorporates the provision of a £35,000 loan to enable DAR to work through this restructuring period and onto a sustainable financial footing.”

Yet it said bosses at the charity had agreed to reduce fuel and operating costs and “look at other ways to streamline the service”.

The statement said: “This will inevitably require some fare increases and other changes to make the service more efficient.”

This will include “improving the way journeys are scheduled and working with other organisations as and when larger vehicles are needed”.

Five vehicles will be replaced “which will be better suited to passenger travel patterns and will improve the service’s reliability”.

The charity will also look at introducing a centralised booking service.

Councillor Hugh McCarthy, the district council’s cabinet member for economic development and transportation, said: “Wycombe DAR provides an important service for a large number of people within our community and we are delighted that working together with the County Council, we are able to commit to funding this local service at is current level for the next three years.”

Councillor Val Letheren, county council cabinet member for transportation, added: “With this commitment in place, DAR can now make longer term plans and DAR users can be assured that the service will continue.”