BUS services in the North-East have received a £2.9m boost in an attempt to help tackle urban deprivation and social exclusion.
The money has been awarded by the Urban Bus Challenge, which is aimed at helping with the regeneration of deprived urban areas by improving local transport.
The six projects to receive funding are: Hospital Link Hartlepool, Middlesbrough Flexible Health and Employment Link, Driving to a Future - Redcar and Cleveland, Ucall - Newcastle, Doxford Links UBC and Gateshead CrossLink - Kickstart scheme.
Hospital Link Hartlepool, links the major hospital sites in the Tees Valley by a shuttle service while Driving to a Future, in Redcar and Cleveland, will provide a wheelchair-adapted vehicle and a driver for 25 hours per week for people in the greater Eston area.
In Middlesbrough, the Flexible Health and Employment Link will provide a peak-time link between the north Middlesbrough employment area and deprived wards in the town.
The Gateshead CrossLink will increase the frequency of two circular services in Gateshead and the Doxford Links will maintain bus services connecting communities in north and south Sunderland to Doxford Business Park.
Ucall will continue to provide links to employment, health care and social facilities across west Newcastle.
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