A PROJECT offering cheaper travel to people in part of Bishop Auckland has been launched.

It has taken two years to get the South Bishop Auckland Community Partnership Association off the ground.

Sheer hard work and determination finally paid off, with the partnership presenting the bus to the community at St Helen Auckland.

Managing director of the partnership, Steve Morley, said: "This is the first major project to come out of the community within the Single Regeneration Budget.

"It has been hard work, really hard work, but I believe at the end of the day it is going to be worthwhile. There are a lot of people who have never been able to afford to go trips who will now be able to.''

As well as a £20,000 grant from the Single Regeneration Budget, funding has come from the New Start Initiative and the Dales South Durham Primary Care Group.

Mr Morley praised support from County Durham Development Agency and the Single Regeneration Budget management team at Wear Valley District Council.

The mini-bus, which was provided by Bishop Auckland College, is available to people in the St Helens, Woodhouse Close and Henknowle areas.

It can be used by community groups, clubs and schools which will have to pay an affiliation fee to the partnership.

To mark the launch, children from schools in the area took part in a painting competition depicting their impressions of what the bus would offer.

The two winners, from Henknowle Primary School, were Jasmine Milburn, eight, and Lindsay Dunn, ten.