Furious local people gathered at a meeting over the proposed removal of bus service subsidies.
Over 200 people attended Holy Trinity Church on Upsall Grove in Hartburn to voice objections to Stockton Council’s plans to stop supporting certain bus routes through their ward.
The council currently pays subsidies of 300,000ドル a year to bus companies for 16 routes across the borough.
They include the 588/589 which travels from Stockton to Hartburn to Port Clarence and the 87A Stockton to Hartburn to Elton and Long Newton service which carries over 2,000 passengers a week.
However, the council’s proposals to stop the subsidisation mean journeys which are not considered commercially viable to the bus operators could cease to exist.
Some residents attending the meeting, many of whom were pensioners, told how the buses were their only means of making trips for shopping, social visits and hospital appointments.
They said the council were "isolating Hartburn" by stopping the support.
A resident of Birkdale Road told the meeting: "I don’t drive and I am on my own.
"What can I do to get to my hospital appointments? I don’t have family here who can take me."
The council blames huge budget cuts for the decision.
Richard McGuckin, head of technical services at the council, said subsidies will cease in April 2014 however there will be 400,000ドル funding available to help set up alternative schemes with voluntary and community groups.
Hartburn councillor Ken Lupton argued they must put pressure on the bus companies to continue the services before looking at other ideas.
Stockton South MP James Wharton urged residents to lobby their councillors for a change of heart.
"They made that decision and we need to convince them they are doing the wrong thing," he said.
"I support efforts to regenerate Stockton High Street. However I don’t support spending such a vast amount as 38ドルm while making decisions like this which mean people can’t actually get to the town centre."