Published on: 18 July 2024
A new bus service will help patients, visitors and staff get to and from Sunderland Royal Hospital as it connects the city and South Tyneside with other key locations.
The 599 route will strengthen links with Sunderland Royal Hospital, the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), the Nissan car plant, Sunderland city centre, and Jarrow and Hebburn town centres.
Click here to see the timetable: 599 - Sunderland Interchange to Hebburn
Its full route can be found via the Nexus website here
It is a joint project by Nexus and the new North East Combined Authority and is being funded by the Government as part of the region's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).
The 599, operated by new local bus company Northstar, will start running from Monday, July 22. It will operate from Park Lane Interchange in Sunderland to Jarrow Bus station, Monday through to Saturday.
The new route follows a campaign by local community leaders and bus users for better links from Jarrow and Hebburn to major employment sites - the IAMP in particular - and the Sunderland Royal Hospital and city centre.
Pictured launching the new bus are workers from Faltec Europe Ltd, Nexus Customer Services Director Huw Lewis, Cllr Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth and Transport at South Tyneside Council, Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero, Cllr Lindsey Leonard and Dan Graham, Managing Director of Northstar.
North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, said:
"This new service will undoubtably help local people access even more opportunities for jobs and training, and is a welcome step in the right direction as part of my plan for better buses right across the North East."
Sunderland City Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero, Councillor Lindsey Leonard, said:
"There are more businesses and new jobs being created in and around our 'nationally significant' IAMP.
"This new bus service links residential areas in both Sunderland and South Tyneside with these increasing employment opportunities at IAMP and the automotive assembly and supply sectors focussed around Nissan.
"The regular timetabled service of the 599 also improves the public transport offer with its connections to hospitals, healthcare and other local amenities.
"This new service is most definitely the right ticket."
Councillor Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth and Transport at South Tyneside Council, said:
"Public transport is a real lifeline for many people and plays a vital role in connecting our residents to jobs, services and facilities.
"We are right at the forefront of the green economy, with fantastic employment opportunities like IAMP on our doorstep.
"It's so important that there are no barriers to our residents being able to access these opportunities and a safe, reliable and sustainable public transport network is key to that.
"It's excellent news that this new bus service will provide additional connectivity to our communities."
Huw Lewis, Customer Services Director at Nexus, said:
"We're really excited to be launching this new bus route. It provides a vital new link between Sunderland and South Tyneside. The 599 will connect communities, and will call at what is a major local employment site at the IAMP."
Daniel Graham, Managing Director for Northstar, said:
"We launched Northstar earlier this year and pride ourselves that our customers and communities, as well as our colleagues, are at the heart of everything we do. We're looking forward to welcoming our new customers on board."
The 599 was officially launched at Faltec Europe Ltd, whose factory is located on the IAMP, where they make vehicle trims as part of the Nissan supply chain. Faltec's workforce will benefit from the new bus route along with other businesses based there.
