The Taxibus between the Hamptons and the station was launched late last year amid a fanfare extolling its inexpensive fares and ease-of-use.

But the link, run by Stagecoach on behalf of National Express, is to be scrapped after commuters failed to back it in sufficient numbers.

National Express spokesman John Gelson confirmed the Taxibus is being axed, but said an alternative was being mooted by other operators.

Mr Gelson said: “The Taxibus service between Peterborough and the Hamptons is to be withdrawn at the end of July due to limited passenger numbers.

“We understand that a proposal for a dial-a-ride service run by a taxi operator is being considered.”

The Taxibus was billed as a frequent door-to-door minibus between the station and all parts of the Hampton development with the postcode PE7 8.

It was trumpeted as a potential boon for the commuters who had moved into the new estates, as it ran before and after the normal Stagecoach Citi 6 bus service connecting the developing suburb with the city centre.

The Taxibus ran every 20 minutes during the morning and evening rush hour from Monday to Friday, providing a “demand responsive door-to-door service”.

Users had to pre-book their seat before 6.45pm on the previous day over the phone, but could book a seat for their return journey at the same time or book a monthly, quarterly or annual pass.

At £3 for a single journey and £20 for a week, the Taxibus seemed to be a cheap option compared with driving and parking at the station car park or the nearby Perkins multi-storey.

But the low take-up has prompted National Express, which runs long-distance trains which serve Peterborough station, to pull the plug on the link.

However, sustainable transport consultant Roland Strube wants to set up a more flexible system using shared taxis to connect the station with outlying areas.

Mr Strube plans to use a booking system already operated elsewhere by Business Resource Transport, which allows passengers to text their journey demand, which is then shown on a website monitored by taxi firms.

They then offer a fare by text, which the customer can accept or reject.

Groups of passengers with regular journey times could be grouped together and be served by one taxi firm, which might have the contract to ferry them around for a set period.

Mr Strube said: “We are focusing on the Taxibus passengers as they are pre-grouped and soon will be in need of alternative transport.

“However, it would work equally well for combinable train passengers travelling to other areas of Peterborough.”

n Those interested can e-mail him at rolandstrube@aol.com