Case Study: Hadrian's Wall Bus Social Inclusion Project

Hadrian's Wall Bus

Amount awarded: £5,000

The award winning Hadrian’s Wall Bus service (AD122) runs coast to coast throughout the spring, summer and early autumn, between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Bowness-on-Solway, providing excellent access to the World Heritage Site and Northumberland National Park to more than 25,000 passengers a year.

In 2004, the Bus Partnership was awarded a £5,000 grant from our Sustainable Development Fund, which when matched with a £15,000 grant from the Countryside Agency funded the Hadrian’s Wall Bus Social Inclusion Project.

Its aim was simply to explore ways of engaging with those who were not using the service at the time to access the countryside, notably, young urban unemployed, those from ethnic communities, the elderly and disabled.

Research carried out resulted in the establishment of a new community forum that now advises the Partnership on transport and access issues, the creation of a wider communication network and inclusion of ideas in how to market the bus to these audiences. Lessons learnt from this project are also shaping engagement strategies for the National Park Authority.