AN exasperated commuter has gone straight to the top with his latest complaints about buses which fail to turn up.

Jeffrey Brown decided to write to Bob Davies, chief executive of Arriva Group in Sunderland, after being told by the firm's Stockton office, in response to previous complaints, that services would improve.

Mr Brown, who lives at Skeeby, told Mr Davies that despite this message services in the Richmond area had deteriorated, adding that the last three weeks had been the worst in his 40 years of bus travel.

He said the problems, which he understood arose from a shortage of drivers and mechanical breakdowns among older buses based at Richmond, centred on the 27 and 28 services between Darlington and Richmond.

Mr Brown, a civil servant at Catterick Garrison who has a season ticket costing £8.30 a week, said that on eight occasions over the past three weeks buses on late afternoon services had failed to arrive and he had twice taken a taxi. There had also been examples of buses running late to and from work.

He said: "I have used buses all my life and the past three weeks have been the worst of the lot. I gather there have been some mechanical breakdowns but at the moment it's mainly a shortage of drivers.

"Drivers are doing a good job in difficult conditions. People are having a go at the drivers, which is wrong. I've personally had to stick up for some of them."

Similar problems have been experienced by another passenger who uses the 8.30am bus from Darlington to Richmond to get to work and the 5pm return journey. She said buses on those services had failed to turn up eight times in the last three weeks.

The woman, who did wish to be named, said: "I have been getting to work late and have missed dental appointments. I think it's disgusting."

She added: "I am waiting for replies to at least two letters."

A spokeswoman for Arriva Group said that if Mr Brown had addressed his letter to Mr Davies it would be seen by the chief executive.

Iain McInroy, operations director of Arriva North-East, apologised for problems being experienced on services between Darlington and Richmond but denied they were caused by a driver shortage.

"Like any business, various factors can affect the availability of personnel on a particular day including sickness absence, holidays and personal issues. We expect services to return to normal operation shortly."

No comment was offered by the company on the question of mechanical breakdowns.