Sunderland left out of night bus service for Newcastle International Airport

Passengers in Sunderland have been left out of a night bus service for Newcastle International Airport.

Tyne and Wear transport executive Nexus announced in March 2024 it was introducing the 787 service, which operates between Newcastle city centre, the west end of the city and the airport every day between the hours of 2.50am and 5.20am as part of a six-month trial to assess demand for the service.

The 30-minute, six-stop journey costs £1 for children and £2 for an adult single.

The original announcement said service, operated by Stagecoach's, would benefit "shift workers who are starting early, and people who are catching holiday flights."

But Nexus say it is "primarily for people who work at the airport".

The Echo asked if there would be any such scheme for Sunderland.

Nexus responded that it would be "assessing the level of demand" for night bus services.

A taxi from Sunderland Railway Station to Newcastle Airport currently costs around £59, including the airport's £4 parking charge. A taxi from Newcastle Central Station to the airport costs around £24.

Nexus has pointed out that a Sunderland to Newcastle number 56 night bus already operates "which people could use to connect with the 787 up to the airport".

However, the 56's journey between the cities takes 70 minutes, giving a total travelling time from Sunderland to the airport of an hour and 40 minutes; plus waiting time between bus journeys.

The 56 drops off at Newcastle's Market Street. Passengers continuing to the airport then have to make their way, in the early hours of the morning, to another Newcastle bus stop called Newgate Street.

Number 56 buses to Newcastle do not leave Sunderland’s Park Lane Interchange between 2.05am and 4.40am weekdays, or between 2.05am and 5.02am on weekends.

Huw Lewis, Customer Services director at Nexus, said: “Last month we launched two new night buses services in our region.

“The first of these provides new early-hours journeys on route 50 between Concord, South Shields and the Nissan plant to coincide with shift changes.

"The second is the new 787 bus that runs between Newcastle city centre and Newcastle Airport, primarily for people who work at the airport.

“Go North East already operates a night bus between Sunderland and Newcastle, the number 56, which people could use to connect with the 787 up to the airport.

“The trail of these routes is the first step in exploring the demand for night buses, primarily for shift workers, using funding from the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan.

“We will be seeing how useful they are to people, and assessing the level of demand to see if there is scope for more such night bus services in other areas.”

Sunderland City Council is one of seven local authorities with an equal share of 51% of Newcastle Airport.