RESIDENTS have reacted with anger after hearing rural bus routes will be cut following a shake-up by Arriva.

And Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has expressed bitter disappointment that the firm will go ahead with the proposed cuts in east Cleveland.

Paula Miller, chairwoman of Lingdale Lift Off, said: “I cannot believe they are doing it, it’s always the rural areas that are hit by these changes. It’s already difficult for people to get around if they don’t have a car and this will just make it even worse.”

The service alterations will mean residents at Liverton Mines will lose their public transport link to Lingdale, Loftus Market Plan, New Skelton, Skelton and Guisborough.

The removal of Service 28, from Farndale Drive, Guisborough, will leave the estate without a bus service; and the removal of Service 48, will leave Staithes Road, Dormanstown, without a bus service.

There will also be a reduction in frequency of buses from some east Cleveland communities to Middlesbrough and Redcar.

And with he council paying over £500,000 per annum to subsidise services, predominantly on evenings and Sundays, the move has angered members.

Councillor Mary Lanigan, cabinet member for highways, transportation and planning, said: “We are strongly opposed to these service changes.

“Recently, we met with representatives of Arriva to set out our objections. We are now bitterly disappointed since that meeting to learn that they have still chosen to go ahead with the proposed service cuts.

“The proposed changes will hit hardest on those people who can not afford cars and rely on these bus services as their main mode of travel.”

In addition to £500,000 subsidies the Council also pay local bus companies, including Arriva, over £2.6million to pay for concessionary fares.