People who live in Godalming and the surrounding villages can take advantage of free weekday travel on Waverley hoppa Community Transport’s Shoppa service this autumn.

Passengers are invited to ride for free between the hours of 9.30am and 2pm from 1 October to 31 March.

The service is for anybody of any age who does not have access to other transport. All buses are wheelchair accessible. hoppa Shoppa can be used by residents who live in the Godalming zone which covers an area that includes Farncombe, Elstead, Chiddingfold and Hascombe and all villages in between.

Richard Davies, General Manager at hoppa says: “Thanks to a grant from Voluntary Action South West Surrey we are able to run this six-month, free travel pilot. Our aim is to see whether there is a demand for a free travel service whereby people are picked up from their homes and dropped off at GP surgeries, dentists, local shops, visitor attractions, day centres etc.

“With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to make it difficult for some people to make ends meet, we hope this initiative will bring peace of mind to our Godalming customers as they will be able to visit the shops and attend vital medical appointments knowing that their travel will not cost them a penny.”

To start using the service, customers need to make sure they are registered with hoppa which is free, quick and easy to do.

To register visit www.hoppa.org.uk/register or call 01428 681701. Once registered, passengers can book travel by calling hoppa on 01428 681701. The more notice given, the more likely it is that customers will be able to travel on their preferred day and time of travel.