ANGRY residents will tonight meet bus operators and public transport representatives to discuss plans to cut services to part of Durham.

People who rely on buses running to Newton Hall have submitted a 500-name petition to Durham County Council.

The authority will be urged to subsidise Arriva services 60 and 65 so residents of a private housing estate are not isolated.

Ron Lethbridge, 85, of Lindisfarne Road, Newton Hall, said: "If they take the buses away then shopping is out of the question because I cannot walk into Durham.

"There are any amount of people like myself who rely on that service and it is our lifeline. If they take that away then we are finished.

"The only option is to move and I do not want to do that."

A residents' forum is being held tonight, at 7pm, in Newton Hall Community Centre, Carr House Drive.

Councillor George Hunter, who represents Newton Hall on both Durham city and county councils, is backing residents.

He said: "It is a steep-hilled area and people will be stranded.

"It is all very well for the young but it is a mature estate and some people have lived here 30 years. They are older people who have given up driving.

"We are going to ask to have the service subsidised but there is no guarantee that will happen."

Arriva plans to terminate the 60 from Sherburn and the 65 from South Hetton at Durham Bus Station from June 28.

It is also reducing the number of journeys for the X41 to Newcastle.

Liz Esnouf, commercial director for Arriva North-East, said: "We understand that Durham County Council is considering whether to offer services for those short sections of routes in Newton Hall which will no longer be covered by services 60 and 65.

"Local authorities can offer for competitive tender any services or routes that they identify as being socially necessary but which are not well enough used to operate without financial support."

A spokesman for the council could not say whether it would subsidise the services.

He said: "We have got the petition and we are aware of the residents' concerns.

"We will have to wait and see what transpires at the meeting."