LCC’s Independent Travel Training has opened up a whole new world of getting out-and-about for the teen.
15-year-old Harvey Horton from Stamford has really made the grade by being given a highly-prized Independent Travel award.
Harvey, a student at Willoughby Academy in Bourne, has been working extremely hard with an LCC Independent Travel Trainer so that he is able to use public transport for independent travel.
Harvey has spent the past six months working with his Independent Travel Trainer Alison. Once a week, the pair have been putting in hours of travel theory, delivered in real time on a series of pre-planned routes, while walking and accessing public transport. Once Harvey felt ready to progress, the training then moved to using everyday buses to gain valuable practical experience.
His Trainer, Alison said: “At the start of his training Harvey had to learn the route from home to school. This involved a walking route and a bus journey.
“In addition, he had to learn about road safety and how to travel on a public bus. This can come with specific challenges, and throughout his training, he learnt how to deal with all sorts of ‘What if?’ situations that included scenarios like missing a stop on the bus, or if an expected bus arrived late.
“As his training continued, Harvey became more confident with the routes to and from school, and it wasn’t long until he was travelling independently which has made such a difference to him and how he interacts with tasks that others can find straightforward.
“Harvey is quiet and thoughtful and has a wonderful ability to make you laugh. Something we found was that, even though Harvey can tire easily, he was determined and dug-in to continue his travel training each week, even when it was cold and raining.
“Together with the support of his family and the school Harvey completed his training and now travels to school independently. He has been an outstanding student to work with, a real pleasure, and is a great ambassador for the scheme.”
The transformation for Harvey has been an overriding positive which will continue to empower the student as he continues to learn. His mum, Kelly said: “Travel training has been a very valuable tool for Harvey. It has improved his confidence greatly.”
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for Transport added: “Harvey’s award is very well deserved and a real credit to the Independent Travel Training programme.
“We are justifiably proud of the trainers and everyone who takes part in this specialist one-to-one scheme to empower life-improving skill sets for those wanting to travel in the county.
“ITT is a very real success story for LCC Transport that we are all justifiably proud of, and one that continues to help individuals in a very real-world way.”
By the numbers: ITT’s success story
56 – number of students that have successfully completed the travel training program since January 2023
440 - the average amount of Lincolnshire miles travelled by ITT students per week walking and travelling by bus
21- number of students currently in training
11 – number of students successfully completed the ITT program since January 2024
860 – days students accessed Independent Travel training in the last calendar year