AS dozens of rural bus routes across County Durham are axed or reduced, one community is fighting to keep its links with the outside world. TONY KEARNEY meets the villagers of Kelloe and their MP who is backing their campaign

IT is about six miles from Kelloe to Spennymoor and it takes about ten minutes in the car, but it now takes Agnes Webb anything up to two hours to make the journey to see her mother.

Four times a week, ever since the 25a bus service between two communities was axed last month, the 62-year-old has caught the bus into Durham City centre and caught another bus back out to visit her mum.

"It takes double the time and it costs double the money," she said. "It is definitely causing us a problem, because they have taken our link between the villages and we need that service back."

Friend Denise McLean, 70, added: "It's causing great problems because the only place you can get to directly to do your shopping is Durham.

"There are supermarkets like Waitrose there, but that is expensive for people who are on a pension."

At a time when car ownership is high - and in a city where there are so many cars on the roads that £10m has been spent on a park-and-ride scheme - it is easy to forget how important a lifeline buses can be. Easy, that it, until you meet the villagers of Kelloe.

Thirty of them, mostly pensioners who consider the bus route a lifeline, gathered yesterday at the village's communal room, in Kelloe Primary School, to hear the latest moves to restore some sort of service for the first time in more than a month.

On November 5, Horden-based operator Jayline announced that it could no longer afford to run the 25a service, which ran from Spennymoor to Peterlee, via Thornley, Cassop, Quarrington Hill and Kelloe.

A week later, Durham County Council revealed that the 25a was just one of 77 subsidised routes to be axed, or reduced, to deal with a budget overspend caused by rising fuel costs and a dwindling number of passengers.

The council argues that, unless unpopular routes are cut, the authority faces a £700,000 deficit which would threaten the viability of other services.

Residents, councillors and city MP Roberta Blackman-Woods immediately launched a campaign to reinstate rural routes in general, and the 25a in particular. Villagers were particularly incensed that journeys to the surgeries of doctors and dentists, in nearby Thornley, would be virtually impossible.

Yesterday, the MP was able to reveal the restoration of a limited service - of sorts. After negotiations with County Hall, a reduced service is to be introduced from next week. Operator Scarlet Band will run two services in each direction on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The council has also agreed to run a 58 service, starting on Monday, which will link Durham with Spennymoor, via Bowburn.

Councillor Terry McDonnell, who represents the village on Durham City Council, said: "It's better than nothing, but it's not good enough."

Ms Blackman-Woods thanked the council for its help in restoring the service and said: "I am pleased that we have made some progress and I am asking the county to look again at how we can increase the frequency."

For Agnes Webb, it will mean that twice a week, her marathon trip to see her elderly mum will take only 20 minutes - but for the rest of the week she still faces the same lengthy trek in and out of Durham City.