More than 4,800 people have signed a petition protesting against plans to cut train services in the region.

It will be handed to transport minister Kim Howells by Ashok Kumar MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, Redcar MP Vera Baird and Stockton South MP Dari Taylor next week.

Passenger groups and MPs have been angered by plans to cut direct services between Saltburn, Middlesbrough and Newcastle - meaning passengers will have to change at Darlington - and reduce the number of trains on the Durham coast line.

MPs will meet the transport minister on Monday to discuss the threat from the Strategic Rail Authority to the future running of the direct rail service.

They will be joined by senior transport officer Andy Hyams, from the Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit.

Dr Kumar, who said the service is a lifeline to seaside towns, said: "We will be telling the minister that figures show patronage on this service has increased by more than 20 per cent and are still increasing.

"We will be saying that Mr Howell's changes to the structure of the rail industry, recently announced, mean that a proper regional perspective has to be put on services such as this one.

"We will be pointing out that in the current snowy weather, the rail service is providing a safe, speedy alternative to a dangerous and overcrowded A1 and A19."