PASSENGERS have been warned that a cancelled bus route to the MetroCentre is unlikely to be restarted.

Last week, The Northern Echo revealed that Stagecoach North-East had cancelled its daily X90 service from Darlington to Newcastle and the MetroCentre for financial reasons.

The bus stopped at Harrowgate Hill, Newton Aycliffe, Ferryhill, West Cornforth and Coxhoe.

Now, rival operator Arriva has announced it will not be taking up the route because it, too, does not think it will be financially viable, despite already running a service that goes past the shopping complex on its way to Newcastle.

A spokesperson for Arriva said: "While we are aware that Stagecoach have made the route available for any bus company to use, we do not believe we can run the service either."

The X90 service will stop operating on Saturday, September 21, and after that the only option for shoppers will be to travel via Newcastle to get to the MetroCentre.

Darlington pensioner Charles Hachwell is one of many who have expressed anger at the decision to stop the service.

He said: "It is ridiculous that people will have to change buses in Newcastle just to get to the MetroCentre. They just won't want to do it, especially after a day of shopping.

"It will not just affect pensioners, but people of all ages who are reliant on the buses."

He added: "The Government keep telling us to use public transport, but how can we do that if it is not available to us?"