Parents
In recent years,
there has been a concerted effort to encourage children and parents
to travel to school using non-car modes of transport. A range of
initiatives, including walking buses, and better school buses have
been implemented, with many parents enthusiastic in their support.
But, if your child goes to school in the Marston Vale, then you
could use the train as well.
Below is some practical advice on how to get your child to use the
train, and how you can avoid the school run!
Child Safety
We understand that the
safety of your children will be your number one concern. We are
pleased to say that, contrary to popular opinion, the railways are
extremely safe. Crime on Marston Vale Line trains is almost unheard
of, while railways generally are the safest form of land transport.
In addition to this, we have a conductor on each of our train
services, so a member of staff is always present on our trains.
There is also an emergency contact point at each and every station,
with emergency telephone numbers also given.
If your child is aged under 11 years old, we would recommend that
they not travel on the train on their own, without a responsible
adult present (excluding the conductor, of course). This is because
while trains are safe, they can be dangerous for young children who
are unsupervised. We would also advise that any child of any age
also travels with a group of friends, if at all possible.
The Practical Stuff
If you
are interested in using the train service to take your child to and
from school, there are just a few practical things that you need to
do:
Check the train times. The most obvious thing, but make sure
that your children can get from the train to school in time!
Buy your child a season ticket. This is the best value fare
your child can use over the school term. You need to buy one at
either Bedford or Bletchley stations, and you need a passport-sized
photo of your child for the photo card.
Go on the journey with your child. You may want to do this
so they can become familiar with their journey, and as a confidence
builder if they have never used the train before.
If your child has never used a train before, there are a number of
things that they would need to know before using the train by
themselves:
-
What platform they need to catch their train from
-
How to read a timetable
-
How to buy a ticket (if they need to)
-
Basic railway safety, like how to get on and off trains safely, standing away from the platform edge, and not to trespass on railway land
-
Who they can go to in an emergency
The best way to teach them all of these things is to simply show
them how to do it! Plan a journey with them, and when you have some
spare time take that trip on the train. Talk them through what you
are doing, and let them be involved in it. It is surprising how
much they will learn by just doing this!
You should also ask the school that your child attends what they
are doing to encourage kids to use the train. Many schools have
what is called a School Travel Plan, which aims to encourage more
kids to walk, cycle, and use public transport to get to school. We
work with local schools to help them with their School Travel
Plans.
If you have any ideas that you think would encourage more kids to
use the train, or you just want a bit more help, then contact us on
. We look forward to hearing from
you!
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