A brand new free bus service for shoppers looking to get around Swansea city centre is launching next week.
It’s called the ‘Shopper Hopper’ and it’s a shuttle bus connecting the railway station in the north to the bus station in the south, stopping off at Swansea Market in between.
It’s a Monday to Friday, 9am to 4.30pm service and it’s designed to make it easier than ever for shoppers to get around the busy city centre.
The fully-accessible Shopper Hopper is a 15-seat minibus linking the three locations with the market drop-off point at the Whitewalls entrance.
It means visitors to the city centre can get a free ride back to the bus station or train station so they can do their onward journeys more easily than before. It will also provide visitors with direct access to the city centre when coming into Swansea via bus or train.
Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said: “Cllr Stewart said: “The Shopper Hopper is a simple idea that’ll make it easier than ever to get around the city centre, connecting shoppers and visitors to the shops, cafes and businesses they want to visit.
“We know that lots of people come to the city centre using the main bus station and the railway station. Some of those visiting may have mobility issues or need a little extra help to get around.
“Now we’ve just opened Y Storfa, the hopper will be yet another option to choose that’ll help visitors to get to the new central library and all the other services on offer there.”
The Shopper Hopper will be a year-round service and there’s no need for a timetable. All passengers have to do is go to the hopper stops, wait for the next one to turn up and hop on.
Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said: “We know that lots of people come to the city centre using the main bus station and the railway station. Some of those visiting may have mobility issues or need a little extra help to get around, so the Shopper Hopper is designed with them in mind.
He added: “We already have a fleet of minibuses that provide essential transport services, providing transport to day care centres as well as schools and colleges.
“The aim of this new free service is to make better use of these vehicles and put them to good use and hopefully encourage more people to come into the city centre.”
Shopper Hopper service details:
The Shopper Hopper service will start at 9am and finish at 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
The last service leaves Whitewalls at 4.15pm and terminates at High Street Station (Railway Station – direct) at 4.30pm.
The service will complete its round trip every 45 minutes and the hopper stops are at:
- High Street Station – (Railway Station)
- Whitewalls – (City Centre)
- Wellington Street (Outside the Bus Station)
