Trial run for a ‘hoppa’ bus service in town

libertybus. Bus . Transport. Picture: JON GUEGAN

Senator John Le Fondré has signed a ministerial decision approving a contract with LibertyBus to provide a loop service in St Helier, with buses arriving at designated stops every 15 minutes.

The planned outward route starts at the bus station before going to the Hospital, the Jersey Library, the Jersey Arts Centre, the Grand Marché superstore and Springfield Stadium and Sports Centre. The return route is due to stop at the Millennium Town Park, Halkett Place for the Central Market, Pier Road and Commercial Buildings.

The introduction of a hoppa service has long been in the pipeline, with Deputy Geoff Southern winning a States vote in 2011 to introduce it.

Earlier this year Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis said that his officers were working with LibertyBus on such a scheme.

The report accompanying Senator Le Fondré’s ministerial decision says: ‘The Chief Minister approved the introduction of a town bus service in 2021 and approved the funding of up to £364,953 for the first year of the initiative.

‘The service will operate six days per week (every day except Sunday) and with no provision on bank holidays. The draft timetable incorporates a frequency of every 15 minutes throughout the day, with a round trip journey time being 35 minutes in average traffic conditions.

‘The earliest journey would depart from the bus station at 9am with the last one at 6pm.’

The report adds that fares on the new services would mirror existing charges.

‘In general, the new service would not directly replicate any existing services, but it would allow the possibility for passengers to make certain trips that can be carried out on the current network. Examples include bus station to Springfield Stadium, Byron Road to bus station. Accordingly, the on-bus cash and card fares charged need to mirror those on existing services, so that the new service does not abstract passengers and therefore fare revenue from other LibertyBus routes.

‘It is expected that a significant proportion of journeys made on the service are likely to be by holders of concessionary travel passes or transfer tickets. Because the service will operate at a fixed cost to the government, concessionary fares and transfer tickets will not be reimbursed to LibertyBus by Infrastructure, Housing and Environment in the same way as they are on the existing bus route network. Any on-bus cash and card fares will be retained by LibertyBus,’ the report said.

The service is expected to cost £1 million to run over the first three years of its operation. A previous hoppa bus service ran for several years from 1998.

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