A new on-demand bus service is being trialled in Sutton in hopes of curbing the borough’s heavy car dependency.

Transport for London has today (February 20) launched a month-long consultation on proposals for the “innovative” service.

Commuters – either as individuals or in groups – can use an app to book seats on one of the minibuses that stops at “more convenient locations”, particularly ones not served by public transport.

The service will run from 6.30am to 9.30pm daily and carry up to 14 people, with “guaranteed” seating, Wi-Fi, USB charging points and “flexible” stops within a certain area.

Passengers can book trips over the phone and costs for using the minibus will be slightly higher than a traditional bus, TfL says, to “reflect a better experience for customers”.

Those without a smartphone can book trips by accessing a phone via an operator, and people with SMS-enabled phones can get real-time journey updates through text messages.

Wheelchairs would also be accommodate while people can also use their Freedom Passes, but because it’s being trialled it won’t be using the standard Oyster Card payment system.

The price of fares for the new service is not known at this stage, but there is a possibility it could be expanded into nearby Croydon.

Up to eight Mercedes Cityline Low floor Sprinter vehicles with 14 seats have been selected for the trial.

TfL’s new consultation is asking for people’s views on the specific area of Sutton that the service should serve and possible stopping points.

If rolled out then it would be trialled for a year before the authority sees whether it could work alongside existing transport in the borough.

It comes amid commuters’ heavy reliance on cars to get around and plans to encourage people to switch to a “more sustainable way” of travelling.

Cllr Manuel Abellan, chair of Sutton Council’s environment and neighbourhood committee, said: “I am delighted that Sutton has been chosen to host this new trial.

“Demand-responsive buses have the potential to better connect parts of our borough, particularly those urban areas away from the main centres.

“They could also offer an appealing sustainable travel option. We are keen to see higher public transport provision in our borough and very pleased to be working with TfL to trial this new service.”

Michael Hurwitz, TfL’s director of innovation, said: “We are always looking at how we can harness the latest technological developments in transport to improve the service for our customers.

“This trial will help us to understand if a demand-responsive service will support the objectives of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy in reducing car dependency and if it can be deployed to support the established bus network.”

Bidding was won by Go-Ahead and ViaVan, with drivers of the new service receiving the same pay conditions as other London bus drivers.