Free bus service could be passed to private firm

2 hours ago

Gavin McEwanLocal Democracy Reporting Service

Hereford's Zipper buses could be transferred to a private firm by the end of the year

LDRS A green single decker bus parked at a bus stop in Hereford. The road has parked cars to one side with shops and office buildings to the left. In the background is a church and people walking down the nearby pavement. — Hereford's Zipper buses could be transferred to a private firm by the end of the year

Hereford's free to use Zipper buses could pass to a private operator once the city council's funding to run the service comes to an end.

Hereford City Council has committed to keeping the three-bus service going at least until November, with help from the government's Stronger Towns Fund.

But speaking at an environment and sustainability scrutiny committee, Councillor Justine Peberdy said the service "is no longer going to be run by Hereford City Council".

She added: "It's hopefully going to be run by a commercial operator, who will lease them from the city council".

Peberdy suggested this could serve as a model for Herefordshire more widely, with the county leasing its own electric bus fleet to operators as it seeks to boost low-carbon measures.

But Councillor Roger Highfield raised concerns that electric buses would be "very expensive".

And fellow city councillor, Sam Potts, not at the meeting, said: "If Herefordshire Council would take the Zipper buses off our hands, that would be wonderful."

He said he understood talks were already under way between city council officers and county bus operators on the leasing idea.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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