COUNTY Durham is to receive 240 new bus shelters - at no cost to the tax payer.

The 15-year agreement with Adshel, worth about £1m, has been won by the company under tender, and marks a significant expansion of Adshel activity in this part of the North-East.

The shelters will be installed county-wide, covering the districts of Chester-le-Street, Derwentside, Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale and Wear Valley.

They will be funded by the advertising carried on a proportion of the bus shelters.

Adshel's regional operations centre, in Gateshead, will be responsible for the cleaning and day-to-day maintenance of all the structures.

County Councillor Don Ross, cabinet member of Durham County Council, said: "This partnership between the county, district, town and parish councils and Adshel is the first stage of bringing a significant improvement to the bus shelters across the county.

"Once Adshel has provided its shelters, there will be a second phase of bus shelter provision out of the money the county council receives from its local transport plan, again in conjunction with district, town and parish councils.