TWO threatened bus services in Darlington have been given a reprieve.

Stagecoach had announced the closure of two bus services by February 23, which would have left large parts of Darlington with very limited or no Sunday bus services.

The Sunday to Thursday evening journeys on service 20 to Firthmoor, Haughton, Whinfield and Springfield areas, and the Monday to Thursday evenings and Sunday journeys on service 24 to Lascelles, Firthmoor, North Road and Springfield areas were under threat.

Stagecoach said they were not commercially viable and would be withdrawn.

But Darlington Borough Council agreed to provide a subsidy of £38,000 a year to ensure the routes continue to operate.

After a successful bid, Stagecoach will continue to operate the routes and will also offer additional journeys because of the subsidy.

Service 24 will run an hour earlier on Sundays, catering for shoppers and workers.

The Monday to Saturday evening service on route 20 now operates a 11.30pm service from the town centre to Haughton, Whinfield and Springfield.

The routes will be reviewed in summer when they come up for council tender, which applies to the town's subsidised bus services.

Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for transport, said: "The intervention by Darlington council has resulted in the threatened services being saved, which is great news for local people.

"It is also great news for the council, which aims to see more and more people using public transport."

Edwina Brown, secretary of the Firthmoor Over-60s club, said the closures could have had a detrimental effect.

"I know a lot of people rely on those bus services and it would really be a terrible shame if they had been stopped," she said.

"I am glad the council has helped because there are many people in Lascelles, as well as Firthmoor, that rely on it because it is the only bus service around that area."

Full timetable details can be obtained from Traveline on 0870-608-2608, or at www.traveline-northeast.co.uk