Transport
How do I travel around Elmbridge?
The public transport network of trains and buses can be confusing for new arrivals to Elmbridge. To help you get around, see our Public transport cheat sheet.
Get Around for £2 by bus -
See this government web page for details of a new scheme launched in December 2022, to help millions of passengers across England save on bus fares.
Help with transport bus pass for Ukrainians -
If you have arrived through the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme, 3 month bus pass (FREE) been launched with Stagecoach, Compass, Metrobus, Falcon coaches and Repton coaches. Applications can be made online Homes for Ukraine temporary bus pass scheme - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)
Bus help for hosts and Ukrainian refugee families in Oxshott
Please contact the Oxshott Care Duty phone (manned 9am - 12 noon, Monday - Friday, telephone 07950 478329). Their normal brief is taking Oxshott residents to hospital or doctor’s appointments but they will if possible also drive to other essential appointments like language classes, council offices etc. Because driver numbers are limited (all their drivers are DBS checked) they can only cover lifts for residents in Oxshott and the Oxshott/Cobham borders, although they do drive outside the area to local hospitals - eg Guildford, Epsom, St Peter's Chertsey, Kingston and St Helier.
Get Around for £2 by bus -
See this government web page for details of a new scheme launched in December 2022, to help millions of passengers across England save on bus fares.
Help with transport bus pass for Ukrainians -
If you have arrived through the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme, 3 month bus pass (FREE) been launched with Stagecoach, Compass, Metrobus, Falcon coaches and Repton coaches. Applications can be made online Homes for Ukraine temporary bus pass scheme - Surrey County Council (surreycc.gov.uk)
Bus help for hosts and Ukrainian refugee families in Oxshott
Please contact the Oxshott Care Duty phone (manned 9am - 12 noon, Monday - Friday, telephone 07950 478329). Their normal brief is taking Oxshott residents to hospital or doctor’s appointments but they will if possible also drive to other essential appointments like language classes, council offices etc. Because driver numbers are limited (all their drivers are DBS checked) they can only cover lifts for residents in Oxshott and the Oxshott/Cobham borders, although they do drive outside the area to local hospitals - eg Guildford, Epsom, St Peter's Chertsey, Kingston and St Helier.
Driving - what are the rules around driving in the UK
If you have with you a non UK driving licence already
Check the government site for country of origin, but in most cases you can drive a normal sized vehicle or motorcycle for 12 months in the UK if you have a full and valid foreign licence. The UK has exchange agreements with Ukraine or other 'designated countries', which allow you to exchange your foreign licence with a UK one within the first 12 months . Otherwise you'd need to get a UK driving licence (see below)
If you have a Ukrainian driving licence
Holders of a Ukrainian driving licence can drive small vehicles (cars up to 3,500kg and motorcycles) for 12 months from the date they become resident in UK. To continue driving after this time, they must obtain a UK licence.
Ukrainian driving licences for cars can also be exchanged for the UK equivalent without the need to take a test. However, drivers who took a test in Ukraine before 28 December 2021 will only be granted entitlement to drive automatic cars when the UK licence is issued. This is because the Ukrainian driver licensing authority does not have information to confirm whether a test was taken in a manual or automatic vehicle before this date.
Read more here.
If you have a foreign car and you become resident or stay for more than 6 months
Then you must register and tax your vehicle in the UK.
Can I get help to pass my driving test?
In order to get UK licence Apply and follow the steps here www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence
You can get help to pass your theory test using apps, such as DVSA https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/official-dvsa-theory-test-kit/id463295925,
and then once you are practicing to drive, these videos https://youtube.com/c/DgndrivingCoUk or https://youtu.be/1kQSbgMkT5A
How expensive is it to run a car?
Three mandatory costs to consider other than fuel & fixing the car - annual Vehicle Tax, Insurance, and MOT (which is a check-up that your car is safe to drive). Check out full driving costs here
Check the government site for country of origin, but in most cases you can drive a normal sized vehicle or motorcycle for 12 months in the UK if you have a full and valid foreign licence. The UK has exchange agreements with Ukraine or other 'designated countries', which allow you to exchange your foreign licence with a UK one within the first 12 months . Otherwise you'd need to get a UK driving licence (see below)
If you have a Ukrainian driving licence
Holders of a Ukrainian driving licence can drive small vehicles (cars up to 3,500kg and motorcycles) for 12 months from the date they become resident in UK. To continue driving after this time, they must obtain a UK licence.
Ukrainian driving licences for cars can also be exchanged for the UK equivalent without the need to take a test. However, drivers who took a test in Ukraine before 28 December 2021 will only be granted entitlement to drive automatic cars when the UK licence is issued. This is because the Ukrainian driver licensing authority does not have information to confirm whether a test was taken in a manual or automatic vehicle before this date.
Read more here.
If you have a foreign car and you become resident or stay for more than 6 months
Then you must register and tax your vehicle in the UK.
Can I get help to pass my driving test?
In order to get UK licence Apply and follow the steps here www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence
You can get help to pass your theory test using apps, such as DVSA https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/official-dvsa-theory-test-kit/id463295925,
and then once you are practicing to drive, these videos https://youtube.com/c/DgndrivingCoUk or https://youtu.be/1kQSbgMkT5A
How expensive is it to run a car?
Three mandatory costs to consider other than fuel & fixing the car - annual Vehicle Tax, Insurance, and MOT (which is a check-up that your car is safe to drive). Check out full driving costs here