CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed changes to bus routes in Darlington, but claim some residents are still being left isolated.

From Sunday, changes will be made to some of the town’s routes in a scheme Arriva says will improve the speed and reliability of its services.

Arriva revamped the routes during an overhaul in July last year, which prompted criticism from people in some areas of the town who felt their concerns had been ignored.

But after consulting with residents and Darlington Borough Council, a number of changes have been made.

They include: ● Better-timed spacing of buses on North Road; ● Services 6a/b running via North Road from Harrowgate Hill Roundabout to the town centre; ● Service 26 reinstated from Harrowgate Farm to the town centre via Longfield Road; ● Service 12 extended to serve Durham Tees Valley Airport terminal building, Long Newton, Hartburn, Stockton and Middlesbrough, hourly from Monday to Saturday daytimes; ● Some Sunday journeys operating without council financial support on services 9, 11, 12 and 14; ● Service 29 diverted to serve Blackwell Village, funded in partnership with the borough council and North Yorkshire County Council.

Shirley Winter, of North Road Community Partnership, said residents had welcomed the changes, but wanted to see more done to replace services that had been cut in July.

Mrs Winter said: “Arriva has enjoyed our custom for years, so why can’t it do the decent thing by the people of Darlington and put the routes back as they were.

“These changes don’t go far enough for us. Some people can’t get out of their homes to go shopping or to the doctors.

That isn’t good enough.”

Arriva North-East commercial director Mark Ellis said: “Quite a chunk of these changes are as a result of meetings with residents and the council.

“We want to create faster and more direct links into town.”

Mr Ellis said there had been a largely positive reaction to the July changes.

He said: “Passenger numbers are up, which is very good news for us. “The reliability of the services has improved dramatically as a result and from that aspect we are really pleased.”