PEOPLE living in isolated villages and deprived communities will suffer if cuts to a county's bus network are implemented, a councillor warned last night.

Durham County Council's cabinet has approved a package that will axe ten subsidised services and reduce about another 67 in an attempt to halt a substantial projected overspend blamed on rising costs, including fuel.

The county has budgeted to pay £3.5m to operators, including the Go Ahead Group and Arriva, to provide services which would not otherwise be run because they are deemed to be unprofitable although they are also considered important to the communities they serve.

But John Shuttleworth, the county councillor for Weardale, which includes several remote villages, has warned that the proposals, due to be introduced in the New Year, will have an impact on the residents of those communities.

The council says there is no alternative to the cuts and that the escalating costs could only be met by making cuts in other services provided by its environment department.

It also says it has tried to minimise the impact on residents and has tried to ensure that alternative bus services are available.

The county council has bought and refurbished Durham City's bus station from operator Arriva, introduced bus lanes and is part of a regional scheme to introduce a satellite real-time information system at bus stops.

Operators have bought fleets of bright, wheelchair and buggy-accessible vehicles that run on most major routes. Full story - Page 10