A BUS company has been accused of putting profits before people after it refused to improve the service from Middleton Tyas to Darlington.

Critics say the village has been abandoned by Arriva North-East because timetable changes mean there is now just one bus a day for Darlington, which stops at about 8.15am.

Pensioners can use their bus passes only after 9am.

Richmondshire district councillor, Jill McMullon, contacted Arriva to ask the company to add the village to the existing X26 and X27 services which pass through Scotch Corner.

A meeting with Arriva was attended by 60 villagers.

But after considering the request, Tony Batty, area manager, contacted Coun McMullon to say routes would not be changed.

He said: “I arranged for a timing check to take place for the bus to follow the Barton to Tyas route. This established that an additional four minutes would be needed in the schedule to accommodate this diversion.

“It is known from experience in running the service that the X26 does not have sufficient time in the schedule to allow for the inclusion of eight minutes additional running time per round trip.”

He said he looked to see if changes could be made to the X27 service.

However, he found that this service was already about to be changed to take in more of Catterick Garrison following completion of building work at the new sports centre.

He added: “Given the extremely low numbers travelling from Middleton Tyas and for the reasons given above, I am sorry I am unable to agree to revise our network to incorporate the village.”

Coun McMullon accused the bus company of cutting off and abandoning the village. She said: “We have a lot of elderly and infirm residents in Middleton Tyas and they can’t be expected to walk to Scotch Corner to catch the bus.

“This means they’re going to be completely and utterly stuck in their homes unless they can get a lift. I’m furious that Arriva are putting their profits before people.

“They get huge subsidies from the Government and county council and they’re just being greedy.”

Coun McMullon said she only asked for buses to stop in the village three times a day on just three days a week. “We’re completely reliant on Arriva and it’s not good enough people don’t have a bus service,” she said.