PEOPLE in rural areas of County Durham are being given the chance to help improve their public transport.

Rural Transport Partnerships are to be set up in the east and west areas of the county to help people without cars become more mobile.

The Countryside Agency is providing £250,000 for the two partnerships and asked people to attend two public meetings.

The first was on Tuesday at East Durham and Houghall Community College, Peterlee, for people from Durham City, Easington and Sedgefield. The second was held yesterday for the West Durham Rural Transport Partnership at the Optimum Centre, Bishop Auckland College, for people from the villages in Wear Valley, Chester-le-Street and Derwentside.

A £10,000 small grants fund, which will provide cash for local community schemes, was launched at the meetings.

Lydia Speakman, countryside officer with the Countryside Agency, said: "Rural Transport Partnerships bring together a variety of voluntary, commercial and public sector organisations to seek solutions to rural transport issues and ultimately improve opportunities for access to work, education, training, health facilities and shopping and leisure outlets.

"Both East and West Durham Rural Transport Partnerships will soon be formulating action plans for the next three years and public participation is vital in helping to identify rural isolation and access problems.

"We need to hear from local people about problems they face, so we can look at possible solutions.