Go North East offering free travel to customers as buses return after strike action

Go North East has announced travel will be free on all its buses for seven days, beginning on Saturday, December 2.

In a special promotion dubbed ‘This week’s on us’, customers will be able to travel at no charge throughout the network which stretches across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and into the Tees Valley.

Go North East has made the decision to waive its bus fares in order to welcome customers back following the resolution of a strike which brought many of its buses to a halt in November.

Buses will return to the roads on Saturday, December 2 after bus drivers hit picket lines to fight for higher levels of pay.

A normal timetable across Go North East’s network will resume across the region after a vote by drivers and engineers represented by Unite to accept a two-year pay deal.

The company has said all passengers will be welcome on board free of charge.

This will apply to all single and return tickets, while those who use the Go North East app should use a gift code, found on the travel service’s website, to access a free ticket.

Tickets will be issued on board, but no money will need to change hands.

The free travel offer will run until midnight on the evening of Friday, December 8. From Saturday, December 9, normal fares will apply.

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Ben Maxfield, Business Director at Go North East, said: “We’re delighted to be resuming a full timetable of bus services from Saturday. We know that the last month has been difficult and disruptive for local communities. Free travel for a week is a gesture from us to welcome customers back on board.”

“The strike over the last month has hit people and businesses in the pocket. I’m sorry for the inconvenience and distress that it caused. We now want to put it behind us and get back to delivering the best possible bus service for all our customers.”