COMMUTERS in east Durham are looking forward to better transport facilities as work begins to renovate and upgrade Peterlee Bus Station.

The station had been without seats since they were badly damaged by vandals.

But following Durham County Council’s purchase of the station in December, promised renovations have begun in earnest with painting and decorating already in progress.

As well as improved maintenance, further improvements are planned for the near future with new seating and bins to be installed, as well as CCTV to provide greater security.

The council says that since the purchase of the station the authority now owns all of the bus stations in County Durham - which will also allow for greater coordination countywide, as well as more control in managing and allocating bus services at the station.

After the seats were attacked they had to be removed.

Although money was available to improve the facilities, the council was unable to carry out any work at the time as it did not own the site.

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “Following the purchase of Peterlee Bus Station we’ve moved quickly to start work on improvements and there’s more planned for the near future.

“Following previous vandalism, we’re not only restoring and upgrading the facilities in the station, but by installing CCTV we hope the increased security will prevent it from happening again.”

Cllr Audrey Laing, who represents the Peterlee East ward, said: "Residents will be delighted with the improvements that have been made especially the elderly, because they have nowhere to sit.

“There have been no seats for about a year now. The new seats will be stainless steel which will be anchored down and be harder to damage.

“Having CCTV will mean the station can be monitored.”

Cllr Laing, who was joined at the bus station today (Thursday, March 5) by fellow councillor Harry Bennett, said they and other Peterlee councillors would provide any funding needed to complete the project.