BUS companies have been urged to apply to run a vital service in Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council has begun tendering to find an operator to run the 32 and 33 services which cover Mowden, Albert Hill and Hundens Lane.

The services are being run in the short-term by Stagecoach after operator Leven Valley Coaches pulled out of the area.

Councillor Ian Haszeldine recently met more than 100 people from the area to discuss their fears that once the Stagecoach contract ends, they will be left without a bus service.

He told The Northern Echo yesterday: "I have been on the council for five years and I have spent all that time fighting to ensure this service is maintained

"In the past, it has been run by Arriva and Eden bus services, as well as Leven Valley and Stagecoach.

"Hopefully, Stagecoach will bid for the contract on a permanent basis as will the other bus companies in the town.

"The council is determined this service will continue."

He denied that the council had owed Leven any money.

He said: "The Leven bus company decided to pull out of Darlington for commercial reasons. A drop in the take-up of concessionary fares meant there was less money for us to distribute between the bus services in the town.

"We paid Leven their share and they actually returned some money to us because we had overpaid them."