Northumberland residents rely on effective bus services to stay connected. That is why Northumberland Conservatives are working with our Conservative government to improve bus services in the county. 

We are working to try to connect towns in the southeast of the county through a half hourly service during peak times. We have helped protect the service from Wooler to Alnwick to keep residents in the north connected to local communities. We have kept the £2 maximum fare for single journeys, and we're ensuring the whole county is connected with services from £5 or less.

In June 2023 the government invested £45.6 million to improve transport in the North East, after a national investment of £117.8 million, taking the total funding for the region to £163.5 million. The government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) is an important step towards providing a service that works for Northumbrian residents, both in our towns and rural communities. 

Thanks to our investments alongside the government’s BSIP we are delivering: 

• Better connectivity in Southeast Northumberland through £1.4 million which has been dedicated to ensuring that all towns in southeast Northumberland are seamlessly linked, with buses running at least half-hourly on Monday to Saturday daytimes and hourly in the evenings and on Sundays. 
• A new daily hourly service: Introducing a new daily hourly service between Morpeth, Ponteland, Newcastle Airport, and Kingston Park at a cost of £1.3 million, opening up numerous shopping, employment, and leisure links for residents. 
• A service to cope with 93% of pre-COVID levels, outperforming other parts of the northeast and the UK. 
• Affordable Travel for Residents - Residents can now travel anywhere in Northumberland for £5 or less. 

Thanks to Northumberland Conservatives working with colleagues in government the BSIP investment has led to the introduction of a range of affordable day tickets for unlimited travel, including: 

• Day ticket for unlimited bus travel in Northumberland for £5 
• Day tickets for unlimited bus, Metro, and Ferry travel across all of the North East for £6.80 
• Day tickets for unlimited bus, Metro, and Ferry travel in Tyne and Wear for £6 
• Day tickets for unlimited bus travel in County Durham for £4 

These new offerings complement the national £2 single bus fare for adults and the £1 single fare and £3 day ticket for young people aged 21 and under, making public transport substantially more affordable for millions of journeys in the coming year. 

Glen Sanderson, Leader at Northumberland County Council said: 

"This is a fantastic initiative that will make transport accessible for more people across Northumberland and the North East in general. It encourages more use of public transport and helps us explore alternative ways to travel." 

Roads Minister Guy Opperman said: 

“People up and down the country deserve a modern, reliable, and affordable public transport system. That is why we have provided the North East with more than £163 million to boost its bus services. 

 “Supporting Transport North East with delivering new more affordable day tickets is fantastic for local residents, who will now be able to get to work, school and visit loved ones more easily.”