AN OVERHAUL of bus stops and services will come into force in the Darlington area by the end of the month.

After complaints from the public and requests from bus operators, a relocation of services between stops in the town centre will be introduced on Sunday, July 28.

Passengers in the villages of Hurworth, Hurworth Place, Middleton One Row and Middleton St George have been benefiting from an improved bus service since June 30.

In the town centre, services to common destinations will use the same or adjacent bus stops wherever possible.

It is hoped that the changes will prevent bus stops becoming overcrowded with vehicles.

One stop, on the Binns side of West Row, will be moved as a result of the scheme.

The adjacent stop will be used only for setting down passengers.

This will enable the two bus shelters to be refurbished and relocated to the stop outside the Nag's Head, in Tubwell Row, which is to be extended and split into two distinct stops.

A further stop in Tubwell Row, between Church Row and East Row, is to be upgraded from a "setting down only" point, to allow passengers on board.

Notices are now in place at town centre stops and on board buses detailing the changes.

New bus stop flags giving more information to users are also being put in place at all the 550 bus stops in Darlington over the next year.