A ONE-WOMAN campaign to revamp Durham's busy bus station has been given the backing of passengers.

Janice Spence, from Burnhope, near Lanchester, was spurred into action after watching mothers with small children, and elderly people, endure an uncomfortable wait for their bus.

She said the station needed more seats, new toilets to replace the single toilet cubicle near where passengers queue for buses, and a windproof waiting area.

She said: "I think an awful lot of people don't know how bad it is because they're safely in their cars.

"So many people use it, yet there are just two benches to sit on and I've seen so many people sitting on the ground.

"There is nowhere for young mothers with babies or people with a long wait.

"Something so obviously needs to be done. Quite honestly, I haven't met one person who hasn't agreed."

Mrs Spence has collected signatures on a petition calling for improvements to the station and sent them to Durham MP Gerry Steinberg and Durham County Council's public transport coordinator, Doug Hamilton.

The county council has arranged a meeting with owners of the bus station, Arriva North-East, early next month to tackle the problem.

A spokesman for the council said: "We are aware of the shortcomings of the bus station and, at the moment, we are looking to see what improvements can be made.

"We are meeting Arriva to discuss the improvements that we think might be made with the owners of the bus station and to see what can be done and what sources of funding might be available to implement those improvements."

The county council is hoping that new information boards can be provided for passengers and sliding doors installed.

However, operations director at Arriva North-East, Iain McInroy, said there were no improvements planned for the bus station at present.

He said: "We are regularly in discussion with Durham County Council about services and the bus station in Durham.

"Although at present there are no planned improvements to the bus station, the area has recently been repainted and we are considering installing more seating.