AN MP is backing residents in their battle for a new bus service.

People in New Skelton want a local stop for an express service, and have handed over a petition to Dr Ashok Kumar, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

The New Skelton and Hollybush residents' association is calling on the Arriva bus firm to provide a stop for the X56 service. Arriva says this would mean "robbing Peter to pay Paul" by another area having to lose a stop.

Signed by more than 160 people, the petition points out that the bus does not stop between North Skelton and Skelton, leaving out the busy New Skelton shopping centre altogether.

This means locals have to rely on the alternative half-hourly No 65 service if they want to go to Guisborough or Middlesbrough.

Dr Kumar said: "Clearly, this inconveniences a lot of people and cannot be good commercial sense for Arriva. I call on Arriva to make sure this bus is allowed to pick and drop off passengers at New Skelton."

Residents' association spokesman Mary Brown said many elderly people lived in New Skelton.

"They want and deserve a proper bus service and one that does not involve them having to change buses or facing a long walk," she said. "There is a lot of feeling on the estate that this missing link needs to be restored and we think the numbers signing our petition reflect that feeling."

The X56 service runs between Whitby, Runswick Bay, Loftus, Skelton, Guisborough and Middlesbrough.

Arriva North-East commercial director Mr Steve Burd said that, by definition, an express was a limited stop service.

"Over the years we have increased the number of stops on this run but in the time available for the journey, we don't think any more are feasible," he said. "It would cease being an express service if there were more halts."

Mr Burd said he would look into the number of people using the X56 bus stops.

"If we find there is one which is not well used we will discuss this with the joint passenger transport users' group with a view to taking that one out of service and replacing it with New Skelton."

But Mr Burd made it clear the company would not add another stop.

"That would be robbing Peter to pay Paul," he said