A BUS company has been criticised for changes to services it is introducing next week.

The moves by Sunderland-based Arriva will see the withdrawal of the 235 bus between Durham and Middlesbrough from Monday.

Alternative services will be provided by buses 55, 56, 57 and the X1and X2 operating to revised timetables.

But a resident of Trimdon Station, Tony Weir, says his children will face difficulties getting to work.

His daughter, Amanda, works at Durham University's Mountjoy Research Centre and can catch the 235 direct to Durham, while his son, Jonathan, an IT technician, gets to work in Middlesbrough on the 214.

Mr Weir said the withdrawal of the 235 meant that his daughter would have to walk to Trimdon Colliery to get a bus to Sedgefield where she could catch the Durham-bound X1. The 214 would no longer go to Middlesbrough, but terminate at Stockton and his son might have to get off at Sedgefield to catch a direct bus.

He said service 55 was replacing part of the route of the 235 but would not stop at Trimdon Station.

"My daughter will have to walk a mile to the next village to get a connecting bus. As well as adding to her journey times, to and from work, I don't think it will be very safe on the dark mornings."

An Arriva spokeswoman said: "Changes to services have been made to simplify the network and to remove duplicate services.

"We have made the changes after extensive monitoring of actual usage of all services and have been able to increase the frequency of some services for customers.''

Timetable information is available on 08701 20 10 88.