A late night bus service aimed at dispersing weekend clubbers from Southend is to be axed.

The Nite Rider service which served Leigh, Hadleigh, Rayleigh and Eastwood will run for the last time this weekend.

For almost a year, the service has been operating on Friday and Saturday nights in a bid to improve the town's transport facilities and enhance public safety.

A council spokesman said the decision had been taken because uptake on the £3 to any stop service had been very limited.

This was despite various initiatives by Southend Council and the licensed trade to increase the usage.

Ann Holland, council cabinet member in charge of public protection, said: "Since October 2003, Nite Rider has served many people in the town, especially over the Christmas period, but it has been agreed the level of subsidy required could not continue to be justified."