PEOPLE living in more remote rural areas claim Arriva will leave them isolated by concentrating on more profitable routes.

Up to 60 people attended a public meeting in Cockfield Methodist Church Hall last night to voice their objections to the bus firm’s intention to scrap several routes in Teesdale, County Durham.

The meeting heard that other bus operators have registered an interest in taking over the routes with Durham County Council.

Protestors say losing the routes will heap hardship on the elderly, students and those unable to afford to run a car.

From January, Arriva will no longer operate the 95 and 96 services through Teesdale, leaving the villages of Mickleton, Romaldkirk, Cotherstone and Lartington without public transport.

The 84 and 85 service will also stop running between Barnard Castle and Darlington via Evenwood and Cockfield.

The meeting was organised by Durham county councillor Pauline Charlton to discuss the issues. No one from Arriva attended.

Cockfield parish councillor Neville Singleton said: “We know cuts have to be made but is it right to go in like Arriva is and take the buses away?

“People use them to go to college and school and work and surely the buses must be full and profitable for Arriva at those times.

"Arriva is cherry picking routes. What Arriva wants is those routes which make it money and it is not interested in those that don’t.”

The meeting heard that during peak times there was standing room only on the buses.

Simon Day, a Durham County Council transport officer, said: “Arriva has been a poor operator in parts of County Durham for the last one and a half years.

“The council does not necessarily want to negotiate with Arriva over this and instead wants to talk to those who will provide the best service.”

He revealed that other bus companies have expressed an interest with the council in running the services which Arriva will drop.

Arriva has said the services are no longer commercially viable, given the increase in fuel costs, a rise in fuel tax and a 20 per cent cut in the Bus Service Operator Grant next April as part of the Government spending review.