The North East mayor pledged to put bus passengers at the centre of her transport plans, and has already capped North East bus fares and guaranteed a £1 flat fare for everyone up to age 21.
Now, in the third step of her plan to make buses better, the North East mayor is rolling out one of the biggest improvements to North East bus stops since de-regulation.
County Durham will now be the first to benefit from a regionwide bus stops plan with £1.8m allocated to improve 444 locations.
The investment is part of a £3.3m package funded through the Mayor’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, aimed at enhancing public transport infrastructure. Works have already begun at bus stops in County Durham, with further upgrades planned for Northumberland and Tyne and Wear.
In County Durham, the Bus Stop Programme will deliver:
168 new bus shelters, including enhanced signage and passenger information
444 new bus stop flags and signs to improve visibility and guidance
50 raised kerbs to make boarding and alighting buses easier for passengers with mobility needs
11 street furniture relocations to enhance accessibility and reduce obstructions for passengers
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, said:
“We’re making real changes to the places where people wait for their buses. Bus stops and shelters might not always be the first thing people think about when improving transport, but I know that they make a huge difference to passengers.
“This investment is all about making bus stops safer, more accessible, and more welcoming. We’re installing new shelters, better signage, and raised kerbs to make boarding easier - simple improvements that will help people feel more confident using buses."
The improvements are being rolled out across County Durham, benefiting communities from Shotton Colliery to Annfield Plain to Bishop Auckland.
The Mayor’s investment builds on ongoing work to build a green and integrated transport network, complementing wider efforts to improve routes, fares, and accessibility under the region’s BSIP funding.
Further details on the scheme’s rollout in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear will be confirmed in the coming months.