Plans have been announced for a new free electric bus service connecting key destinations within Leicester city centre.
The new Greenlines ‘Hop!’ service involve the operation of electric buses through the city centre, offering free travel and connecting Leicester’s transport hubs with city attractions and other key destinations.
Hop! will run around the city centre, serving St Margaret’s Bus Station, Haymarket Bus Station, Leicester Market, Leicester Royal Infirmary and St Nicholas Circle.
It is due to come into service in March 2023, with more details to be finalised over the coming months, including appointing an operator and agreeing the exact route and timetable.
The proposals are outlined in a report, which was sent to Leicester City Council’s Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Commission on August 31.
The Hop! service forms part of the Greenlines electric network, which currently includes the Hospital Hopper service and the Birstall, Meynell’s Gorse and Enderby Park and Ride services which terminate at St Nicholas Circle. It follows a successful bid for funding from the national Transforming Cities Fund (TCF).
Greenlines passengers will also be able to benefit from new real-time bus information, free USB charging, next stop audio visual announcements and text-to-speech facilities to help make bus use more accessible.
Upcoming changes outlined in the report include the introduction of six new council-owned electric buses in November 2022 for the Orbital route which covers the entire city.
A further 90 electric buses are set to be introduced in 2023.
Adam Clarke, councillor and Leicester deputy city mayor, said: “The Leicester Buses Partnership has set out a detailed eight-year plan to significantly improve public transport in and around the city – something that is needed to reduce congestion, fight the climate emergency and better connect people to home, work and leisure.
“The new city centre Hop! service promises to provide people with an easily accessible, free transport option connecting sites around the city, meaning people can easily get to places like the bus stations, the market, LRI and St Nicholas Circle and make onward journeys from these places.
“This is all part of our work to make the city much easier to travel around without the need to use a car, especially for shorter journeys.”
Other key improvements brought in as part of the Leicester Buses Partnership include a tap on and off digital fare system – which is reportedly the first outside of London – which is designed to give passengers the best possible far, even for journeys across multiple operators.
