Nexus has stepped in to provide an evening and Sunday bus for South Hylton and Pennywell in Sunderland.
New route 8X community bus links residential areas win South Hylton with the Metro station and centre of nearby Pennywell.
The 16-seat minibus will run every 30 minutes from 7pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday starting on 7 December.
Nexus stepped in to provide the bus after commercial operator Stagecoach in August withdrew evening and Sunday services on route 8, which links South Hylton and Sunderland city centre.
Local councillors and residents had asked Nexus if it could provide a subsidised service to replace it.
Cllr Sue Watson, who represents South Hylton Ward said: “I’m delighted Nexus has stepped in to keep local people connected at evenings and weekends.”
John Usher, Head of Transport Integration for Nexus added: “The 8X will cover the whole of South Hylton, connecting to Metro and other buses at St Anne’s and Pennywell.
“We have provided this service for six months initially and will review it from there based on passenger numbers, so it is up to local people to show they need this bus by using it in sufficient numbers.”
Route 8X will be provided by Compass community transport using a subsidy from Nexus.
It will call at Riverside Park, Ford Avenue, Albion Street, Fairmead Way. South Hylton Metro, Greenbank Drive, St Annes and Pennywell Road.
Nexus subsidises around 300 bus routes in Tyne and Wear where commercial bus companies do not operate. Many of these are evening and Sunday services.
It uses a criteria based on availability of other transport, access to local shops, services and workplaces and connections with other bus and Metro to decide where services should run.
In the picture: Nexus Director Ken Mackay and local councillor Sue Watson (left at back) with local residents among the first to take advantage of the new community bus for South Hylton.