A PETITION launched a fortnight ago against proposals to axe direct train services between Saltburn and Newcastle has collected more than 2,000 signatures.
The Strategic Rail Authority plans to scale down the 18 daily services between Saltburn and Newcastle to four.
A spokesperson for the authority said that although people will have to change at Darlington, it may decrease journey times in some circumstances and would allow other services to run faster.
MP Ashok Kumar, who launched the petition in Saltburn, said: "To get so many signatures in such a short time is an indication of the strength of feeling among the townspeople about the need to retain their rail links."
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