Go North East caps bus fares across the region as part of new summer campaign to help Sunderland recover from pandemic

The region’s largest bus company has launched a new summer saving campaign which has capped fares for all bus journeys and plans to revitalise colour coded brands across Sunderland.

New capped fares include a £1.70 maximum single fare, £3.10 maximum return fare, £4 day ticket and £15 weekly ticket which includes unlimited journeys across Sunderland as part of the campaign to aid the region’s recovery following the global pandemic.

An evening fare offer has also been launched for travellers using bus services after 7pm, which will cost just £1 per journey.

Go North East hopes to extend the capped fares longer term if the take up is good and more people use buses across the new City of Sunderland zone which includes Concord, Hetton, Houghton, Murton, Ryhope, Seaham, Silksworth, Sunderland city centre and Washington.

The company is also in the process of launching new and revitalised colour coded brands to make it easier for its customers to identify their bus.

Plans include making buses 2 and 2A pink coloured, number 33 silver, 38 to be sand coloured, number 39 grey, 35 will be maroon coloured, bus number 55 purple and bus 61 will be blue.

Stephen King, commercial director at Go North East, said: “We’re delighted to be offering these promotional fares across the City of Sunderland and revitalising our services in the area.

“We hope that there’s enough uptake to keep the offer longer-term, and combined with the rollout of new branding, it makes it easier than ever before for existing and new customers to travel with us.”

Cllr Rowntree, deputy leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “Sunderland is committed to playing its part in tackling the global climate change emergency and along with partners across the city have signed up to a Sunderland Low Carbon Framework that will help drive down emissions and seek to make the city carbon neutral by 2040.

“It’s great to see Go North East introduce some temporary offers in an effort to aid passenger growth and help get Sunderland and the wider region back on its feet as we recover from the pandemic.”

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