The Council has been working with bus companies to address some of the issues with usage. A number of small but positive changes have been implemented in our area, as shown in the following list (some are for other areas).

The main changes for us are the 6, 7 and 64 service going from once every 20 minutes to once every 15 minutes mainly Mon-Fri – Changes start from next week (10th April)

Date of change	Service Number	Operator	From/To	Comments
4th April	83	Scarlet Band	Woodland – Cockfield	Emergency contract awarded to Hodgsons operating to exactly the same timetable as now in place of previous contractor Scarlet Band. Arises from Scarlet Band struggling to deliver the timetable due to driver shortages.
10th April	6	Arriva	Durham – Cockfield via Spennymoor & Bishop Auckland	Monday to Saturday frequency increased to every 15 minutes from current every 20 minutes. Pre-covid frequency had been every 12 minutes. Extra peak time journeys to Framwellgate Moor.
10th April	7	Arriva	Darlington – Durham via Newton Aycliffe & Ferryhill	Monday to Friday daytime frequency restored to every 15 minutes from current every 20 minutes. Pre-covid frequency had been every 15 minutes. Extra peak time journeys to Framwellgate Moor. Saturdays to remain at every 20 minutes.
10th April	8/8A	Arriva	Darlington – Spennymoor	Minor change to last trip from Spennymoor to improve reliability.
10th April	56/56A	Arriva	Durham – Bishop Auckland via Coxhoe, West Cornforth and Coundon	Minor changes to early journeys towards Durham improving headway. Evening service on Sunday withdrawn – last journey from Durham 1850 (currently 2300), last journey from Stobb Cross 1918 (currently 2328).
10th April	57/57A	Arriva	Durham – Hartlepool via Coxhoe & Kelloe	Minor changes to early journeys towards Durham improving headway.
10th April	64	Arriva	Arnison Centre – Sherburn Village via Durham City centre	Monday to Saturday daytime frequency revised to every 15 minutes from current every 20 minutes. Pre-covid frequency had been every 10 minutes. Pattern will be two per hour to/from Sherburn Village and two per hour short to/from Sunderland Rd Estate.
10th April	86	Arriva	Bishop Auckland – Toft Hill	Service withdrawn however DCC have, through open tender, contracted Rural Link to operate a near identical timetable including the evening journeys until recently operated under contract by Go North East. To be called service 87 to differentiate from Arriva’s continuing 86 to Bishop Auckland College.
10th April	X12	Arriva	Middlesbrough to Newcastle via Coxhoe & Durham	Minor changes to early morning journeys between Middlesbrough and Durham improving headway.