Wingate councillor John Cairns has hit out at bus company Arriva North East, which plans to change some of its services that connect villages like Wingate, Station Town and Deaf Hill with Peterlee, Sunderland, Sedgefield and the University Hospital of North Tees.



However, Arriva North East claims the changes reflect customer usage and have enabled £1m of investment in low-floor buses.

Coun Cairns is particularly concerned about the loss of the 214 service from Stockton to Sunderland, which is set to be replaced with the 21A service and the 26 and 27 shuttle buses.



Coun Cairns said: "Arriva are revamping all their routes and the shake-up in our case involves the loss of a service we have had direct for 50 years.

"The 21A in its new form will not serve Wingate and Station Town at all, just Thornley and Wheatley Hill.

"The 26 and 27 shuttle services will have to change at Trimdon Station Miners' Institute going south and at Peterlee bus station if going north."

He said the changes would affect people who live in Trimdon and work in Wingate, and those visiting the University Hospital of North Tees between 9am and 11am.

He added that he was "delighted" that the 26 would run to Peterlee Community Hospital, a service to Wingate will slightly improve, and a 239 evening service would run to Shotton.

However, Coun Cairns said: "These are plusses, but on the minus side I know a girl from Wingate who will have to get three buses to get to work in Sunderland."

John Fozzard, marketing manager for Arriva North East said: "We are pleased to note that Coun Cairns has seen some strengths in the new routes which see improvements to services for Thornley and Wheatley Hill as well as a 20 minute service running between Peterlee and Durham.

"We are sure Councillor Cairns appreciates that over the past 50 years the requirements of customers have changed substantially and we continue to respond to changing passenger needs."