Left to right: Cllr Kika Mirylees, Alan Morrison, Cllr Liz Townsend, Trevor Dale and Richard Davies from Hoppa
Funders of Cranleigh’s new Hospital Hoppa Bus have been hearing how the service is fulfilling a demand for patient transport to medical establishments between Cranleigh and Guildford and are delighted at the take up of this service.
Since Hospital hoppa for Cranleigh launched at the end of November, there has been a surge in the number of people registering to use the service and passenger numbers are steadily increasing.
Waverley councillor, Liz Townsend was one of the key people who worked hard to introduce Hospital hoppa to Cranleigh. She said: “I am delighted that the take-up of this service is already proving there’s a need for door-to-door hospital transport. Attending a medical appointment for treatment or a consultation can be stressful but by choosing hoppa, customers can eliminate the worries associated with getting to the doctors or hospital on time and having to find somewhere to park.”
Representing the Luigi Francescon Trust which donated money to the service, Alan Morrison said: “It is reassuring to know that Hospital hoppa for Cranleigh is there for when people most need it. The service is being piloted for one year and so I really do hope people make the most of it and choose to use it as a convenient way to get to medical appointments.”
People living in and around Cranleigh can use the service for local trips to Cranleigh Hospital, Milford Hospital, the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Mount Alvernia, St Luke’s and The Jarvis Centre.
Upon confirming their donation to Hospital hoppa, Trevor Dale from Cranleigh Lions said: “This year, the Lions are celebrating 50 years of service in Cranleigh. Our aim continues to be very much about supporting the less fortunate in our community so helping to fund a service that transports people to their medical appointments complements our work perfectly.”
Kika Mirylees is the Waverley Borough councillor responsible for community services and said: “Improving the health and wellbeing of our communities is a key priority for us. I am pleased we were able to provide a grant which is already enabling people to get to and from routine and urgent medical appointments. Having reliable transport can also save the public purse as it means fewer missed appointments.”
A one-way ticket on Hospital hoppa for Cranleigh costs £7.50 and £250 for carers/companions.
To use the service, customers need to register. This can be done online at www.hoppa.org.uk/register or by calling 01428 681701.
