Sunderland residents spend summer at the seaside thanks to new bus service

From Sunday 18 July a brand-new bus service will be provided to connect Sunderland's North Estates with the stunning seafront at Seaburn. Stops will include Downhill, Hylton Castle, Castletown, Red House, Southwick, Fulwell and Seaburn.

The number 19 open-top bus was first discussed at a Bus Board Meeting, after Councillors discovered from conversations with local teenagers that some did not know they lived near a beach, despite it only being a short journey away. Councillor Denny Wilson suggested that a new service was provided to give young people the opportunity to experience the seafront.

After the meeting, Stagecoach Managing Director, Steve Walker, contacted Cllr Wilson and offered to provide the service for the North area of the city.

Cllr Denny Wilson, Chairman of the North Area Committee, said: "It's great to have a direct bus link to the estates in the North area of the city, as it can be quite complicated to get to the beach. It was disheartening to learn that some of our younger residents did not know they lived so close to the coast, so having this bus will open a lot of opportunities for them to discover the amazing seafront we have to offer.

"I would like to thank Stagecoach for offering to provide the bus service for our residents, and I encourage everyone to jump on the bus and make the most of the beach this summer, as well as exploring all of the other areas that our brand-new service travels to."

Stagecoach North East Managing Director, Steve Walker, added: "We're delighted to work with Cllr Wilson and the local council team on bringing this new service to Sunderland's North Estates, and I'm confident the bus will be enjoyed by families throughout the summer.

"Engaging with local communities is key to our working practice, and the addition of this new connection is a further demonstration of our commitment to that process."

The new number 19 bus service will run an hourly service every day from Sunday 18 July to Saturday 4 September.

Find out more at www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/north-east/service-19-sunderland