THE Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) will be given 500 reasons why plans to cut Tees-Tyne passenger services should not go ahead.

The number of daily through-trains linking Saltburn, Middlesbrough, Darlington and Newcastle could be cut from 19 to four when the new summer timetable begins on May 22.

More than 500 protest cards filled out by passengers will be handed to the SRA.

They were gathered by the North-East Rail Passengers' Committee (RPC) at Darlington railway station.

The SRA said the change would relieve bottlenecks for high-speed services on the congested East Coast Mainline between Darlington and Newcastle, but opponents said it would leave many passengers stranded.

Fran Critchley, deputy secretary of the North-East RPC, said an alternative could be to route some Virgin Cross Country services away from the East Coast Mainline at York and run them via Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Sunderland to Newcastle.

She said: "There is a strength of feeling out there, which we hope the SRA will take notice of.

"The SRA has a duty to consult with local authorities and ourselves when it makes passenger changes, but unfortunately in this case, it decided to make the decision and consult afterwards."

Campaigners said it was too late to prevent the cuts taking place, but hoped the SRA could re-introduce the services next year.