Travel Training on the Kent Downs Line
Over the late Autumn and early Winter months Kent CRP have been working with Ashford College, Heath Farm School and Grow 19 to provide rail safety and travel training experiences for their students and young learners.
On 24th October, five SEN students and their 5 tutors undertook a train travel training journey to Maidstone East. At Charing station, the students were shown the various station adoption projects that had taken place and the area where their school is going to create an outdoor learning space/community garden. Whist at Charing station the students received safety messaging concerning the yellow line and the third rail etc. They were also fortunate to see a track cleaning train travel through the station cleaning the track.
On arrival at Maidstone East station, they were greeted by friendly Southeastern staff and shown their train being dispatched. They were then taken behind the scenes to see how trains travel along the network. Three lucky students made public train announcements which they were very excited about for some time. The students learnt how to find their train time and platform back to Charing. All students said they would like to travel on a train again however, some felt they would need someone to help them to buy their tickets and ensure they were on the correct train.
Ethan and Mason said the trip and chance to make announcements had been fun.
Kent CRP would like to thank Southeastern staff for supporting and funding these travel training sessions.
Other travel training trips have seen Ashford College students travel to Charing to help the station adopters tidy the planters while building the students’ confidence to travel and Grow 19 taking a trip from Maidstone East to Ashford International, experiencing two busy station environments.
Both Heath Farm School and Ashford College have also made trips to Hollingbourne and the Signal Box Cafe. We have been delighted by the welcome shown to the groups by the team at the cafe, helping them to calculate the cost of their drinks and snacks, and the change they should expect when paying in cash.
Ashford College tutors now have the confidence to deliver the rail safety and travel training information at the heart of these “Try A Train” trips without support on the day from Kent CRP Officers. A fantastic achievement which will enable more students to benefit from a greater number of sessions. We are grateful to Southeastern for their generosity in covering group travel costs for these events.
