THE North-East’s biggest council is planning to slash subsidies for rural bus services on evenings and Sundays, The Northern Echo has learnt.

Documents seen by the paper reveal that Durham County Council chiefs want to cut all funding for Sunday services and make “major economies” on evening routes.

The proposals come as the council tries to cut £1.3m from its buses budget, currently £4.5m.

Councillor Neil Foster, cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, blamed Government spending cuts for the move.

However, Coun John Shuttleworth, who represents Weardale, said it would kill rural communities.

He added: “Rural areas will be hardest hit. It is strangling village communities.”

The documents also show the council expects other Government cuts to cost bus operators in County Durham about £2.5m a year from next year.

About a fifth of all bus services in the county are not commercially viable. However, the council believes that because subsidised services are less well used, more than 95 per cent of bus passenger journeys would be “largely or entirely unaffected”

by the cuts.

In a council-run consultation, more than half of respondents said Monday to Saturday daytime services should be prioritised for retention.

Transport chiefs are suggesting a “small proportion” of the savings required be made from these, through renegotiating contracts and rationalising lightlyused services.

Coun Shuttleworth accused the council of tailoring the consultation to get the answer it wanted.

However, Coun Foster said: “The major reductions in Government grant have forced many tough decisions on the council and, sadly, one of these has been that we have no choice but to spend the limited funds we have on the areas seen as the highest priorities.”

Roberta Blackman-Woods, Labour MP for Durham City, said any bus subsidy cuts would cause disruption, inconvenience and increase costs; and blamed the coalition Government.

However, she said she was pleased the council was maintaining its subsidy for Monday to Saturday daytime services, allowing people to travel to and from work, school, college, shops and other services.

Final decisions will be taken in the middle of next month, with the cuts due to come into effect on Sunday, April 17.

Durham County Council faces having to save £114.6m by 2015 and is planning to axe 1,600 jobs.