The Angel of the North is turning eighteen and in double celebration the A1 icon has been voted the UK’s best-loved roadside landmark in a survey by National Express.
The statute, which is eighteen years old this week (Tuesday, February 16), has come out tops in a survey by the UK’s largest coach operator to compile a definite list of the country’s favourite roadside landmarks.
In a survey of 1,000 people the Sir Anthony Gormley sculpture, which has sometimes divided opinion, placed miles ahead of other landmarks including the Forth Bridge, scoring well over a quarter of the votes.
Since its inception the towering sculpture has silently watched over millions of passenger journeys on the A1, including hundreds of thousands of National Express journeys.
The top ten:
- Angel of the North A1
- Forth Bridge A90
- Clifton Suspension Bridge A4
- Severn Bridge M48
- Stirling Castle M9
- Wicker Man M5
- QEII Bridge M25
- Spaghetti Junction M6
- Emley Moor transmitting station M1
- Medway Viaduct M2
Local transport firm Go North East, the largest bus company in the North East, operate thousands of journeys on the A1 each year on behalf of National Express.
Paul Brunskill, drives the 435 from Ashington to London past the Angel of the North daily.
The 62 year-old dad-of-three who lives in Houghton-Le-Spring said: “It’s absolutely wonderful the Angel of the North has been voted the UK’s best-loved roadside landmark and it makes me really proud. Many people get really attached to roadside landmarks – they can be a marker your journey is well underway or lift your heart because you’re nearly home. I always like driving past the Angel and even now after 18 years you hear passengers remarking on it”.
A lot has changed in the 18 years since the now-iconic sculpture was unveiled in 1998 – National Express customers were more likely to be listening to tape players than iPods, Celine Dion was at number one with ‘My Heart Will Go On’ and Gladiators and Blind Date were must-watch Saturday night TV.
National Express currently has thousands of fares available for £5 – including from Newcastle Coach Station.
Lowest ticket prices are available using the coach operator’s dedicated Low Fare Finder online at: www.nationalexpress.com