Rural communities in County Durham are fighting for the future of threatened bus services they say are essential. Catherine Priestley jumps aboard the number 95 to see for herself.

I CUT a lonely figure as I wait in the centre of Middleton- in-Teesdale for a bus into Barnard Castle.

That is until I’m joined by 19-year-old Samantha Proffitt, who is travelling to Barnard Castle where she is a support worker.

She said: “If this service goes, it will cut me off completely.

I use it six days a week.

“I’ve no idea how I’ll get to work, go shopping or socialise.

“It is often busy with students, they really need it too.”

When we board the bus, we have just one travel companion, Ann Collinson, 65, who uses it three or four times a week.

She said: “I need the bus to go to the chiropodist and dentists, do my shopping and take my mother, Amy Burridge, who is 88, into town.

“The village bank is closed two days a week and people in Mickleton need it to get to the doctors.

“People rely on the buses – people will suffer and villages will die without them.”

The 95 service we are using, and the 96, link Mickleton, Romaldkirk, Cotherstone and Eggleston to Barnard Castle, while the 84 and 85 services run between Barnard Castle and Darlington, via Evenwood and Cockfield.

Operator Arriva plans to withdraw them from January following cuts in funding from Durham County Council.

The council says it will try to ensure no villages are left without public transport, but while the axe hangs over some services, the fight continues.

A public meeting about the issue will take place in Cockfield Methodist Church Hall at 7pm tonight.

Last week, North-West Durham MP Pat Glass held a public meeting in Lanchester, and other such meetings are planned in Consett and Crook.

One of my favourite sayings is ‘owt for nowt’, so it is no surprise that of the five passengers on our return journey, only two of us pay full fare.

The others have used their concessionary travel pass, which the county council funds so elderly and disabled people can travel for free at most times.

What was a surprise was the number of people willing to pay.

As Mrs Collinson had said: “The free pass is great and gets people out and cars off the road, but it is only any good if there are the buses to use. I think most of us would pay before losing them altogether.”

The return journey serves mainly walkers heading for the hills.

Among them are Philip Gatenby, 80, and Jean Gill, 77, car owners making use of their passes.

Both agree it will not only be people travelling out of the villages that will miss the buses if withdrawn, but also rural businesses that rely on tourists being brought into the dale.

Ian Phillips had travelled by bus from Kirk Merrington, near Spennymoor, to Teesdale, where he runs a weekly support group.

He said: “The buses are most important. I need them to get here, to run the group which is essential to its members.

If it was knocked on the head, I’d have no chance.”

Approaching my final destination I take a minute to look out at the rolling hills, the dew soaked fields and jewel-like autumn leaves. As beautiful as it is, I have learnt that this is not a pleasure ride for all passengers, for most it provides a real lifeline.