Progress is underway to improve the safety and accessibility of bus stops across County Durham.
Durham County Council is delivering a series of upgrades as part of the £3.3 million Bus Stop Improvement Programme, funded through the North East Mayor’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. The council has received £1.8 million from the fund, with similar enhancements planned across the wider region.
The work includes the installation of new bus shelters, upgraded signage, and raised kerbs to ensure stops are safer, more accessible, and welcoming for all passengers.
Throughout the county, the programme will see 446 new bus stop signs installed, 90 bus shelters replaced, kerb accessibility improved at 50 locations, and the repositioning of street furniture, such as benches and bins, to make shelters easier to use.
Cllr Karen Allison, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and environment, said:
“Our bus network is a vital service to keep communities connected within County Durham and the wider region.
“This programme will see outdated facilities replaced with ones that more accessible and attractive. The works will enable and encourage more people to travel by bus, helping them to access further opportunities for work and recreation and in turn supporting the county’s economy.”
North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, said:
“We’re making real changes to the places where people wait for their buses. Bus stops and shelters might not always be the first thing people think about when improving transport, but I know that they make a huge difference to passengers.
“This investment is all about making bus stops safer, more accessible, and more welcoming. We’re installing new shelters, better signage, and raised kerbs to make boarding easier – simple improvements that will help people feel more confident using buses.”
Carried out in phases, the council has already delivered improvements to stops in Peterlee and Horden. Officers are currently working in Shotton Colliery, Wheatley Hill, Ludworth and Trimdon Colliery as part of phase two.
Phase three will see improvements in Thornley, Shincliffe, High Shincliffe, Cassop and Bowburn.
Works will continue to be delivered across the county until early 2026.
