The Transport Department today announced the wheelchair accessible minibus trial scheme will launch on January 26.

The first low-floor wheelchair accessible minibus will be used for route 54M, which stops at Queen Mary Hospital.

The minibus can carry one wheelchair and will operate from 7am to 12.40pm and 2pm to 7.40pm from Monday to Friday once every half hour.

There will be no service on weekends and public holidays.

Wheelchair users can call 2873 6808 to reserve the space up to two weeks in advance and at least one working day before using the service.

The scheme is one of the measures introduced in the Public Transport Strategy Study published in June.

The department will review the effectiveness of the trial by the end of this year.

It will be extended in phases to two other hospital routes which stop at Prince of Wales Hospital and St Teresa's Hospital.