The North East Mayor has announced almost £15million worth of funding to upgrade hundreds of bus stops, carry out a major revamp of two busy city roads and modernise a County Durham bus station.

Plans unveiled by Kim McGuinness on Thursday include enhancements to 325 bus stops across North Tyneside, Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside.

A total of £7.1million will be used on measures including the replacement of brick, stone and metal shelters dating back to the 1970s, as well as new lighting, seats, timetable information, wider pavements and raised kerbs.

Ms McGuinness, who has previously backed the installation of hundreds of new bus shelters in villages and towns across County Durham, said: “I promised in my manifesto we would put in new bus shelters in streets and neighbourhoods right across the region, and now we’re going to do that in places like Winlaton and Birtley, Dudley, Doxford and Hebburn.

placeholder image — North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.

“The local bus stop is where we all start our bus journey and this £7million investment will mean safer, brighter and more accessible places to wait for the tens of thousands of people who use the bus.”

It is expected that the new shelters will be installed between May 2026 and March 2027.

None of the funding will go to Newcastle, as the city’s shelters are managed through a commercial advertising concession rather than by Nexus.

Elsewhere, the mayor is also giving £4.9million to Sunderland City Council for a package of works on the A183 Chester Road and A690 Durham Road.

Finally, a further £2.5million has been earmarked for a complete redesign of Stanley Bus Station by spring 2027.