Thanks to funding from Waverley Borough Council, the Luigi Francescon Trust and the Cranleigh Lions, a new pilot subsidised hospital and health facilities transport service for Cranleigh and surrounding villages is now available for residents.
The hospital hoppa service, which offers door-to-door transport to and from a number of health facilities (not just hospitals) is available from Monday-Friday, 8am to 5pm, and can also be used for carers/companions or for those visiting people in hospital.
The buses are accessible to people in wheelchairs and people with pushchairs and will be particularly useful for those who do not have a car or are unable to drive themselves.
The health facilities the service visits include:
• Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford
• Milford Hospital
• Mount Alvernia, Guildford
• St Luke’s, Guildford
• The Jarvis Centre, Guildford
• Cranleigh Village Hospital
• Any other health facility between Cranleigh and Guildford
The cost is £7.50 each way and £2.50 each way for carers or companions.
Councillor Liz Townsend BEM, Waverley Borough Councillor for Cranleigh West, who has been working with hoppa to bring the initiative to fruition, said: “We are delighted to support this new initiative which could provide a lifeline for many people in the area, especially at a time when hospital parking charges can be an added financial pressure. It is a great example of organisations coming together to create something so vital for the community.“
Councillor Kika Mirylees, Waverley Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Community Services, Leisure and EDI, said: “We are so happy to have provided support for this vital service by hoppa which will not only help those in the community who need to go to their own hospital or other healthcare appointments but also those who are visiting their loved ones. We do hope lots of residents take advantage of this service and enjoy the benefits.”
Richard Davies, General Manager at Waverley hoppa Community Transport says: “We are delighted to be able to offer this new door to door service to people who live in Cranleigh and the surrounding villages. Anybody who uses the service is guaranteed peace of mind from knowing they will be very well looked after by our team; you won’t have to worry about what time to leave, how to get there or how much it is going to cost to park as we’ll take care of that for you.”
Register with hoppa for free to start using the service by calling 01428 681701 or visit www.hoppa.org.uk/register