Hoppa was a brand of London Buses routes operated by minibuses. Hoppa services were used as a low cost replacement for lower frequency routes previously operated by conventional buses. The smaller vehicles could also access residential streets that were previously unserved by buses.
History
editThe use of minibuses for urban bus routes was a consequence of the Transport Act 1985. The legislation introduced competitive tendering of bus routes in London and minibuses on low patronage routes were a low cost alternative to conventional buses.[1]
The brand was introduced by London Regional Transport (LRT). The routes used single door minibuses or midibuses. The smaller vehicles could serve residential streets which full sized buses could not reach.[2] This could bring more Londoners within 400 metres of a bus service. Hail and ride sections were employed on residential streets, avoiding the need to install new bus stops. Routes were sponsored by local councils with funding provided to get services started. The H24 and H25 routes were funded by Hounslow Council and opened by John Prescott, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, in January 1991.[3]
The use of minibuses was phased out following the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which required all single floor buses to be accessible by 1 January 2016. London Regional Transport was replaced by Transport for London in 2000.
List of Hoppa routes
editThe Hoppa routes were introduced as follows:
| Route | Branding | Terminals | Service start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 193 | Hornchurch Hoppa | Romford to County Park Estate | 2 August 1986[4] | Replaced routes 193 and 256 |
| 268 | Hampstead Hoppa | Finchley Road to Golders Green tube station | 31 May 1986[5][6] | |
| 346 | Hornchurch Hoppa | Upminster to Corbets Tey | 24 September 1988 | Replaced route 246A |
| 379 | Enfield Hoppa | Chingford railway station to Yardley Lane Estate | 5 March 1989[7][8] | |
| C2 | Camden Hoppa | Regent Street to Parliament Hill Fields | 4 April 1987[9] | |
| H12 | Harrow Hoppa | Harrow Weald to South Harrow tube station | 14 November 1987[10] | Replaced route 209 |
| H24 | Hounslow Hoppa | Hatton Cross tube station to Feltham | January 1991[3] | Initially funded by Hounslow Council |
| H25 | Hounslow Hoppa | Feltham to Hanworth | January 1991[3] | Initially funded by Hounslow Council |
| K1 | Kingston Hoppa | New Malden to Surbiton | 28 June 1987[11] | |
| K2 | Kingston Hoppa | Hook to Kingston Hospital | 28 June 1987[11] | |
| K3 | Kingston Hoppa | Kingston to Esher | 28 June 1987[11] | Replaced route 215 |
| K4 | Kingston Hoppa | Kingston to Hook | 2 December 1989[12] | Initially run as six month experiment funded by Kingston Council |
| K5 | Kingston Hoppa | Kingston to New Malden | 2 December 1989[12] | Initially run as six month experiment funded by Kingston Council |
| K6 | Kingston Hoppa | Kingston to Kingston Vale | 2 December 1989[12] | Initially run as six month experiment funded by Kingston Council |
| P11 | Peckham Hoppa | Peckham to Waterloo | 19 November 1988[13][14] | |
| S2 | Hackney Hoppa | Stratford to Clapton | 24 February 1990[15] | |
| W13 | Woodford Hoppa | Leytonstone tube station to Woodford Wells | 4 March 1989[8][16] | |
| W14 | Woodford Hoppa | Leytonstone tube station to Claybury Hospital | 4 March 1989[8][16] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Batten, Malcolm (2022). Minibus Mania.
- ^ Richards, Brian (2001). Future Transport in Cities.
- ^ a b c Staines Informer 18 January 1991
- ^ Batten, Malcolm (2018). East London Buses: 1970s-1980s. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445680217.
- ^ Route 268 timetable 31 May 1986 London Regional Transport
- ^ Hoppa for Happy Hampstead LRT News issue 316 6 June 1986 page 3
- ^ Hop on the new Enfield Hoppa London Regional Transport
- ^ a b c Midibuses set to take over more routes LRT News issue 367 17 February 1989 page 5
- ^ Marylebone Mercury 9 April 1987
- ^ Harrow Observer 12 November 1987
- ^ a b c Hop on a Hoppa! Kingston Informer 26 June 1987
- ^ a b c More new Kingston Hoppa Midibuses, Routes K4, K5 and K6 London Regional Transport 1989
- ^ New services for three operators Commercial Motor 11 August 1988
- ^ Bartlett, Andrew (2022). London's Buses, 1979-1994. Pen & Sword. ISBN 9781526755469.
- ^ Hackney Hoppa Route S2 London Regional Transport 1990
- ^ a b Discover more about your new Local (Hoppa) London Regional Transport March 1989