How Sunderland City Council makes £78,000 from bus shelters - and why income could '˜increase significantly' under new deal

City leaders say cash made from bus shelter advertising could '˜increase significantly' under a new deal.
Bus stopBus stop
Bus stop

Sunderland City Council pulls in more than £78,000 a year from its current contract allowing marketing material to be displayed.

This was signed in 2003 and extended in May, and gave London-based firm Clear Channel repnsibility for maintaining 150 bus shelters across Wearside.

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But council bosses are expected to approve the start of negotiations for an improved agreement when cabinet meets next week (Wednesday, January 16).

A report for councillors does not say how much revenue is expected to increase by, just that it is predicted to ‘increase significantly under a new concession contract arrangement’.

Sunderland has 653 bus shelters in total, with the remaining 513 managed by transport operator Nexus.

Tyne and Wear’s five local authorities, Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside, had considered joining together to create a congle contract for bus shelter advertising.

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However, after Newcastle dropped out of negotiations Sunderland later also decided to go it alone after deciding there was no financial benefit for the city in a collective agreement with the other councils.

James Harrison

James Harrison , Local Democracy Reporting Service