FREE Electric Bus Service 18 Month Trial in Leicester City Centre

Trying to get around efficiently while living in a bustling city can be both inconvenient and expensive at times. This is also the case for people who might just be visiting for the very first time.

However, an upcoming government scheme will soon let you explore the city of Leicester for free. At the same time, you will get to ride a new, high-tech electric bus. As a bonus, there are even some extra onboard goodies to top it all off.

photo by Mimzy from pixabay

What is hop bus?

Leicester City Council, Centrebus, and the UK Government have come together to bring you this scheme. The greenlines program has been labeled Hop!. Furthermore, buses will be distinguishable by their specific frog green colour.

How does this hop bus service work?

The route taken will be circular. It will loop around, covering points of interest within the city. The whole route has 12 stops in total. You won’t be going a super long distance by any means.

There will be 3 buses operating at any one time. A bus should show up every 10 minutes. For this reason, you shouldn’t be waiting long for the next one to arrive.

Features & Incentives

The electric bus will provide several special features to passengers. One example is the USB ports for the charging of electronic devices. Furthermore, passengers will have free wi-fi for those who want to access the internet on the go.

Each bus has a passenger capacity of 21. There is also additional wheelchair access and space for disabled travelers. Similarly, there is even room for parents with prams.

In addition, there are nearby park and ride facilities too. You may indeed own a car and feel like taking the bus instead.

Which parts of Leicester will I be able to travel to?

As we’ve established, this is only available in Leicester (specifically the city centre area). This is a government initiative with this part of the UK in mind only.

You might be shocked to know that Leicester has a surprising number of tourist attractions for sightseers to explore.

This bus route should cover all the bases for tourists who want to get the most out of their time in Leicester. The bus will take you near locations and venues such as:

Leicester College
Richard III & Visit Leicester Centre
Curve Theatre
Nelson Mandela Park
Leicester Railway Station
Jubilee Square
St Margaret’s Bus Station
Haymarket Bus Station
Leicester Royal Infirmary Hospital
De Montfort University
Glenfield Hospital
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery
The Clock Tower
University of Leicester
Leicester General Hospital
St Martin’s Square
Highcross Shopping Centre
Leicester City Football Club
Attenborough Arts Centre
Humberstone Gate Shops
The Market

How long will this hop bus offer run for?

This deal will begin on the morning of Monday the 3rd of April. Clearly, you will need to wait a week or two before it officially starts.

The promotion will last for 18 months as part of a trial run. Buses will operate Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm. Although, they will not run on Sundays or bank holidays.

What will visitors get from hop bus in Leicester?

This is a great opportunity for Brits who might be looking for a cheap staycation or day trip in Leicester. It’s also beneficial for the locals too.

Environmental Perks

One of the main aims of these electric buses is to reduce air pollution. They will also help protect the environment in general.

Benefits

This offer is nice for those who want to go out shopping for the day. There are plenty of businesses around for that purpose. These shops will also benefit economically from your custom. It’s a win for everybody.

I can see this bus service being useful for elderly people too. Correspondingly, it will come to the aid of folks who aren’t familiar enough with the city to navigate their way around.

Drawbacks

If this scheme becomes very popular, I could potentially see problems on the horizon. To elaborate, I’m talking about the lack of seating within the limited number of buses.

If you are physically fit then you may want to forget the free bus altogether and go on foot instead. Interestingly, many of the most popular locations in Leicester City Centre are within walking distance of each other.

Future Plans for Leicester

There are goals set for expanding the route in order to cover more stops in the near future. The trial period allows all the parties involved to gradually modify and streamline the service as time goes by.

Free bus services will possibly be extended for a few more months at least. This will mainly hinge on if it is deemed to be a success, but only time will tell.

By 2030, the city of Leicester is striving to have all of its buses be as environmentally friendly as the ones in this trial.

Free public transport is always a plus even if it is being rolled out in such a limited fashion. This bus service supports several groups including:

old people with mobility issues
tourists
individuals who might just be struggling financially

If this works out well for Leicester, you might find similar schemes cropping up in other parts of the UK. Maybe your hometown could get a look in as well.

You might want to do a bit of research on Leicester. This way you can prepare and make the most of your time there. Why not see if you can save money on your travel costs by using platforms like topcashback?

With a bit of research, one can save more money on bus tickets by reading articles on makemytrip and onmagazine. Have you ever been a passenger of an electric-powered bus or other vehicles of that kind? What do you think would be the most interesting part of Leicester and why?

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