This story will highlight the excellent work of The Harpenden Hopper. A St Albans Greener Together Team member visited the Hopper to find out more about it.
The Harpenden Hopper is a community run ‘Hail & Ride’ bus service that links the town centre with residential areas of Harpenden. The Hopper is run by Harpenden Connect; a charity set up by local people to find solutions to issues in Harpenden. The Hopper was set up over a decade ago to address issues of isolation and loneliness by providing a service that enables people to go out and about who might not be able to without it. While combating loneliness was the original aim the Hopper also aims to provide an environmentally sensitive alternative to car usage for the wider community, helping to reduce air pollution, traffic congestion and ease parking demand in town.
Having ridden on the bus myself the feeling of community it brings to residents in Harpenden is clear. When I rode the full route; from Kinsbourne Green all the way to East Common, we picked up six individuals who needed to get to and from the town centre. Not only did this save multiple individual car journeys but it provided a friendly, welcoming place for people to talk and catch up while getting them to their destination.
For more information about The Harpenden Hopper, including their daily timetable check out their website.