CHANGES to bus services in an area of Darlington are good news, according to a bus operator.

Arriva is having to axe less popular services in the Harrowgate Hill area because of cuts to its subsidy from Darlington Borough Council.

However, the operator has claimed it will still be able to serve that area of town by making changes to other routes - and will also be able to keep buses running until later in the evening.

Nevertheless, residents are concerned that the changes will still have a detrimental impact on vulnerable people living in the area.

As a result of the cuts, the 6A and 6B services are being withdrawn.

However, Arriva has said all stops will continue to be serviced by the X66. Buses will run from Salters Lane North every 20 minutes, Mayfair and Glebe Road every 30 minutes.

The last buses will go after 10pm at night.

Gill Cartwright, parish councillor for Whessoe and active campaigner for bus links to the area, said she was concerned about the disabled members of Harrowgate Hill's Mencap Gateway Club, and members of the Harrowgate Club, who all rely on the bus service in the evenings.

She said: "The council is saying that they are just not willing to subsidise any more - and people are going to lose out."

Another concern of the councillor is that, when the bus services change in January, it will affect links to the estates in the area.

Mark Ellis, commercial manager at Arriva, denied this would happen. "This is not the bad news story that a lot of people are predicting it to be, " he said.

The council has withdrawn funding for the evening and weekend bus services to the area because of cuts to its own budget.

However, Arriva has decided to continue providing the services, commercially funding them itself.

"I hope the community will be pleased and will support us by using the service", said Mr Ellis. "It's good news."

John Carrick, president of Harrowgate Club, who organised a petition against cuts to the bus service, said: "I'm pleased it's going to be continuing. It's giving people time to go out after work and have a social life."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The council is facing a significant financial challenge following the reduction in Government funding made available to local authorities. The council has agreed to focus on bus service provision Monday to Saturday to give priority to bus travel to work and to shops and leisure facilities."