The bus travels between Tyneside and Cumbria

Figures from a passenger survey reveal numbers on the Hadrian's Wall service are up 36%.

A total of 26,458 passengers travelled on the AD122 service in 2003, compared with 19,442 last year.

More than half the passengers were using the bus specifically to use the new Hadrian's Wall Trail, which opened earlier this year.

The survey also found that 55% of people said they would not have made the trip without the bus and that nearly 25% of passengers chose to use the bus rather than a car.

Local economy

Duncan Wise, of the Northumberland National Park Authority, said: "This year has been a great one for the bus service in every respect.

"It has attracted more passengers and more revenue and the comments from people in the survey are very encouraging.

"The National Park Authority puts local people and the local economy at the heart of everything it does.

"The bus is obviously providing a service which people want and it is also benefiting the local economy by bringing people into the area and helping to protect the environment by leading to fewer cars on the roads."

The service travels from Newcastle to Bowness on Solway, stopping off at the main attractions on Hadrian's Wall and links in with the Hadrian's Wall and Pennine Way National Trails.

It will also link in with the new Hadrian's Cycleway, due to open in 2005.