Hereford Zipper electric Yutong bus success hailed

Since their launch over one year ago, Hereford’s Zipper buses have achieved pleasing ridership figures, according to Hereford City Council. Patronage is rising on the service, the council reports.

The three Yutong E9 electric buses on the Zipper service were launched in November 2023. The 8.94m vehicles feature Yutong’s YESS battery safety system, full air conditioning, camera monitoring systems, passenger counting systems and McKenna passenger information screens.

Led by Hereford City Council, operated by Yeomans Travel, and funded with Stronger Towns Funding, the buses offer a free means of travel for any passenger across Hereford.

From March 2024 to October 2024, the average number of passenger journeys per day was 495. The busiest in that timeframe saw 804 passenger journeys in a single day. Sundays prove to be the least popular day.

That means there has been an average of 15,226 passenger journeys per month. The best month, October 2024, saw a high of 17,256 passenger journeys.

On average, a Zipper bus has foour passengers per bus stop. The most popular stop by a considerable figure was Asda, with the train station in second.

A statement on the Council’s website said: “These incredible figures reflect the increasing popularity of the Zipper bus, with passenger journey numbers steadily trending upwards.”