PEOPLE living in South Tynedale are feeling isolated as a result of bus service changes.

While there are two Go North East Tynedale Links 681 buses which go to Haltwhistle from Alston - past Slaggyford, Halton Lea Gate, Lambley and Park Village - there is now only one that returns from the town as the afternoon return service has been axed.

Go North East announced a series of changes to services across the region earlier this year.

Ellen Calvert, who lives in Slaggyford, said it was 'terrible'.

"Every Monday I always went down to Haltwhistle to have a coffee with my daughter and my granddaughter," said the 91-year-old. "I can't do that now."

She added: "If they had one in the afternoon, it would be fine. But the bus goes down from Slaggyford at 10.05am, and then it comes back up again to Alston at 12.12pm. You haven't much time to do shopping or anything.

"Anybody without a car is lost."

Roger Coupar, who lives in Halton Lea Gate, said it was now 'very difficult to just visit friends or family for a couple of hours'.

Another resident, who has asked not to be named, said: "You've now got an hour to get back. But if you've got a doctor's appointment or the dentist and they overrun, then the chances are it's not going to be very useful.

"There's not a lot of people who use it, but for the people who do use it, it's a lifeline."

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She said she was recently forced to pay £20 to get a taxi down to Haltwhistle for an appointment and then back up the valley.

"I'm on my pension, I won't be able to do that very often," she said. "But I already had an appointment.

"People are getting more and more isolated. They're just leaving us stranded in the middle of nowhere.

"I've always lived in this valley, I don't want to have to move. There again, I've still got to access appointments."

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She has set up a petition, which people can view and sign at Haltwhistle Library and the town's Co-op store.

Councillor Ian Hutchinson, who represents the Haltwhistle ward, said residents have been in touch with him about their concerns.

"I'm really disappointed that Go North East have gone down this line unfortunately," he said. "What they're saying is, since Covid the buses haven't been used as much.

"If they reduce the service, then in my mind, what will happen is that it will be used less and less because if you've got a service that is going into Haltwhistle twice a day but only going out of Haltwhistle once a day, it's a bit one-sided.

"You can't go to work in the morning and then walk home at night."

He added: "Negotiations are taking place between the county council and Go North East. I don't know what stage they're at.

"Any concerns that anybody has, I've requested they be passed onto me and I'll pass them onto the officer at county hall who will be dealing with Go North East and try and bring it to some sort of amicable settlement.

"I don't want to see the service finish or be reduced."

Go North East operate the service under contract to Northumberland County Council.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "Northumberland County Council officers are working together with bus operator Go North East to assess the level of demand on services 185, 681 and X81 to ensure their future viability. 

"Despite the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, passenger numbers have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, which is why we had to make some changes to the timetables from Sunday, July 24 2022. 

"We are presently in discussions with Go North East to see what steps can be taken to improve travel options for the local residents affected and we hope to be in a position to provide a further update soon."