You write: Buses 'unreliable'

During the two years my son attended Teesside University he was continuously let down. On one occasion my son missed an important meeting with tutors.

I would often get a call for help because the link bus to Durham bus station had not arrived.

I would get the car out and leapfrog the Durham/Teesside bus, arriving at the Bowburn stop according to the timetable posted there with 10 minutes to spare, and checking with waiting passengers that the bus had not been early.

We would wait until 15 minutes after the designated time then backtrack the route right to the Durham bus station looking for the imaginary bus. Staff at Durham admitted they didn't know where they were.

My son asked for his money back, which was not given back in good grace and not without an argument.

I would advise everyone who has a complaint about Arriva to write or telephone to Traffic Commissioner for the North East, Brigadier Tom Macartney at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills Lane, Leeds LS9 6NF. Tel:0113 2543291.

I have tried complaining to Arriva and the council's traffic department, who also complained to Arriva. I assure anyone with a complaint that Arriva will and must listen to the Traffic Commissioner.

R Drion, Durham

Dangerous traffic

SIR - After the recent publicity of the toll road in the market place, perhaps the local council would consider looking into the situation around the area of North Road and the bus station.

I am a 74-year-old pensioner and on Monday, September 30, I was looking in a shop window when a bus coming out of the bus station hooted at me to get out of the way. The bus in question mounted the pavement as it was unable to make the normal right turn due to the fact that a furniture van was parked on the road.

Fortunately my hearing is good, but I can't help thinking if I had been deaf the situation could have been very different. In my opinion the bus shouldn't have tried to turn on to North Road when the exit was blocked.

I appreciate that bus drivers have timetables to run to so maybe the bus company and shop traders need to discuss the problem of delivery wagons as something clearly needs to be done before someone gets hurt.

Name and address supplied

It's our money

SIR - Coun Pat Conway (Advertiser, Sept 28) informs us that the Millennium scheme was not paid for by council tax payers. It is my understanding that the council holds assets in trust on behalf of the people of Durham.

The council sold £6.9m worth of its land to pay its share of the cost of the Millennium Centre. Other money was provided by the European Union (taxpayers' money) and the Millennium Commission (our Lottery money).

Funding for the Millennium Centre did not arrive out of thin air, Coun Conway. It was provided by the people of Durham. From the sale of the people's land, from their taxes and from those of us who gamble our pocket money on the Lottery.

Sadly, while councillors like Mrs Conway continue to delude themselves into believing that what they spend is not provided wholly by the people who elect them, trust between the elected and the elector will remain shattered.

Brian Clouston, Durham

Tolls hit college

SIR - While one may be in sympathy with the desire of the city council to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre, the introduction of the system of a toll for admission to the peninsula is likely to have unforeseen consequences if it is administered too harshly.

For several years the East Durham and Houghall Community College has organised a computer studies course at Alington House Community Centre in the Bailey. Computers need to be transported to and from the centre each Wednesday afternoon during term time.

Since the toll's inception, the fee has been paid by the college. In spite of several appeals, the responsible officer has so far to grant the college and the centre any exemption. This refusal seems to me to be quite nonsensical and unjust.

The college is providing a service to the community and, in doing so, is doing what both local and central government have declared to be desirable - namely that education should be continued long after school years.

In refusing exemption the council is making Peter pay Paul, since the college is financed from public funds. Yet once the present course has been concluded it will not be a surprise if the college decides to end the service.

I notice from press reports that a council officer stated that on the first day some 300 vehicles passed the toll of which 178 paid and nine refused. This would seem to indicate that over 100 vehicles had been granted exemption and it would be interesting to know on what grounds they had done so. I cannot think that they had a much better case than that of the college.

A Dews, Durham

Let's save Robins

SIR - What a sad headline - Cinema can't be rescued (Advertiser, October 5). It's evident that the people of Durham want a cinema in the city.

The relatively small number who patronise the Robins regularly could be increased with better advertising and marketing. Many of us look in vain through the pages of The Advertiser to find out what's on at the cinema.

The 'big-screen, big-noise' experience at the Gala will not prove to be an adequate replacement since it is not to everyone's taste.

Is there no Millennium fund or local business to help the little people of Durham to fight big business and buy the cinema, upgrade it and run it themselves?

R Nixon, Durham