Members of Oakham Town Council have heaped praise on the new Oakham Hopper bus service having tried it out and spoken to passengers.

Speaking to fellow members at their full council meeting last week, Cllr Hannah Williams said: "The new Hopper service is being well used, and also the community all seem to think that it is a great idea so I thought we should take a second to congratulate ourselves on the initiative, because we often don't.

"For the benefit of those councillors who do not yet know, our legal providers have confirmed that where safe and legal, our drivers can stop and pick up passengers as a 'hail ride'. So where the drivers are able to, they can just stop where people hail them. Not only does this reduce traffic and pollution, but it also helps combat social isolation – I know this wasn't one of the subjects originally discussed, but I thought it important to bring it up as I wasn't aware of that.

"I also asked a few of the users of the service and the driver on their thoughts on the things that have been brought to council. The least used route, currently, is the 4pm round. I know it has not been proposed that the lunchtime round be reintroduced, but that potentially could be something looked at later on, because that was potentially suggested as being of more benefit.

"There was a suggestion of a route through Alsthorpe; the problem with it is speedbumps. All of the other bus routes have stopped serving that area due to the speedbumps damaging their vehicles – and there is the worry that they could potentially damage the vehicle that is being used currently, and that is something to be considered."

The Hopper bus service is free. Image credit: Oakham Town Council.

Cllr Paul Ainsley pointed out: "The reason the 4pm route is not so well used is that it forms part of the school run in the afternoon. The Oakham Hopper buses are used in the morning school run, and in the afternoons."

Councillors thanked Cllr Williams for her report and for trying out the Oakham Hopper herself, and expressed their pleasure that the service was being well used and well received.

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The Oakham Hopper is operated by Rutland County Council and subsidised by Oakham Town Council. The service is free for anyone who needs it and now runs Monday to Saturday in and around the town. For more details email: [email protected]

An Oakham Hopper timetable can be found here: https://www.rutland.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2022-10/Oakham%20Hopper%20Timetable%20for%20260922.pdf