BUS passengers in and around Durham will soon benefit from a new fleet of easy-access vehicles.

Arriva, which operates the bulk of the services in the city and the surrounding area, is spending £3m on 27 sophisticated new buses, and refurbishing 27 others already in use.

The vehicles are due to hit the road in July when the city's much-criticised bus station in North Road reopens after a major facelift.

Passengers waiting at the station will be able to find out if their bus is running late from real-time information displays utilising satellite technology.

The company is upgrading the entire fleet based at its city depot, ranging from double-deckers to minibuses.

The new buses will have seating with headrests, tinted windows, security cameras, electronic destination boards, and low- floor easy accessibility will make it easy for mothers with buggies, the elderly and the disabled.

Arriva North-East managing director Steve Noble said he believed the new buses, plus the bus station improvements, the new information system and changes to services, would make bus travel more attractive.

"By introducing so many new vehicles into service at one time, in one place, we will change the face of public transport in Durham overnight," he said.

"This will build on the success of our network improvements last year and help us to encourage more people to take the bus.

Mr Noble said the investment would mean the Durham depot had achieved the Government's requirement that all vehicles be easy access - 12 years ahead of the target date.

He said that new vehicles had been trialled on some routes, attracting positive feedback from passengers.

The company will also upgrade engineering facilities at its Durham garage.

The real-time information system, which is being created by councils across the region, will gradually be rolled out to well-used stops on the more major routes.

Durham County Council plans to buy the 1970s-built bus station - which has been criticised by passengers - from Arriva.

Bus station improvements, to start in the next few weeks, will include better lighting, seating and enclosure to protect passengers from the elements. The station will close while work is under way.

County council deputy chief executive Chris Tunstall said: "This is great news for public transport users and demonstrates the commitment of Arriva in working in partnership for the provision of a first class bus service in County Durham."