A CHANGE in bus stops in Darlington town centre, aimed at streamlining services, starts on Sunday.

One stop, on the Binns side of West Row, will be removed entirely and the neighbouring 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. That will be extended and split into two distinct stops.

Passengers in Tubwell Row will benefit from the shelters and the conflict between pedestrians and bus queues will be removed from the narrow pavement on the west side of West Row.

The stop between Church Row and East Row will be upgraded from a setting down only point to one allowing passengers to board.

Notices about the changes will be appearing at the stops themselves and inside buses.

New bus stop flags with reflective strips are already beginning to appear at stops throughout the town and will eventually be put up at all 550 points.

The main objective is to raise the profile, image and attractiveness of bus services and increase the amount of information they give.

* Since June 30, passengers in the villages of Hurworth, Hurworth Place, Middleton One Row and Midleton St George have benefited from an improved Sunday morning bus service through Arriva's No 74. The first journeys now arrive in Darlington by 10.45.