My Travel and Transport

Travelling independently can unlock your sense of freedom and can be fun! Getting more confident with travel now will help make your future adult life easier and more rewarding.

Some people might need a bit of help to travel, and that’s okay. What’s important is knowing how to build your confidence at your own pace and to know which services can help you find solutions that work. Click on 'all listings' at the top of the page to find providers of support. 

Use the drop downs and videos below to find out more about how you can travel in Gloucestershire and beyond. (With thanks to Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership for sharing some of their videos with us). 

*REVIEWED JANUARY 2023*

First journeys on my own

You will probably take your first journey on your own on foot. Walking to the corner shop or home from school with friends can be a good way to first practice independent travel. You will need to remember your road safety and obey the highway code.

Talk to a trusted adult like a teacher, parent or support worker about making an independent journey. Ask them to go on the jounrey with you first and help you plan your first independent journey.  You can talk about safe walking, (or any other form of travel) as an outcome on your Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if you have one and work towards your goals. 

In this film, children and young people discuss independent journeys and their top tips for you!

First Journeys from THINK! Road Safety on Vimeo.

Buses

If you have a disability or medical condition, you may be eligible for a free concessionary bus pass. Click here to apply for oneThis entitles you to Off-Peak travel for free. 

You can talk about learning to catch a bus, (or any other form of travel) as an outcome on your Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if you have one and work towards your goals. 

You can plan a bus journey using various apps or the timetables printed at bus stops. There is also an easy-read, assessible tool called Easy Travelling. Click here to use

We spoke to Adrian from Stagecoach West. He answered some FAQs about buses in Gloucestershire: 

Trains

There are nine railway stations in Gloucestershire. They are: Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Stroud, Stonehouse, Kemble, Lydney, Cam and Dursley, Moreton-in-Marsh and Ashchurch for Tewkesbury. Click on each hyperlink to open information about each station from National Rail. The map below was created by the Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership:

RailMap

This image shows a map of the rail network in Gloucestershire.

Our railway stations are served by three rail companies. These are: Great Western Railway (GWR), Cross Country and Transport for Wales. You can buy tickets for any of these services at your departure station, or online using different websites and apps. National Rail is a central website for purchasing tickets and railcards.

People with a disability can apply for a third off rail travel costs with a Disabled Persons Rail Card.

A 16 - 17-year-old Railcard gives 50% off rail travel.

A 16 - 25-year-old Railcard gives a third off Off-Peak rail travel. 

Listen to our podcast interview about trains and the Gloucestershire Community Rail Partnership:

Cycling
You probably did some bike or 'bikeability' lessons when you were at primary school. Schools often help young people to practice riding their bike, or you might have had help from your family. It's never too late to get confident on your bike. Gloucestershire County Council offer Bikeability Courses for young people and adults. 

If you are travelling by bike, it is vital to wear a helmet and make sure your bike has front and rear lights. You should also wear high visibility clothing. Where possible, seek routes that are entirely off road, for example, by using segregated cycleways away from traffic.

If you'd like to have help with your bike and gaining confidence when cycling, speak to your trusted adults. There are probably local groups that you could join. You can talk about cycling practice, (or any other form of travel) as an outcome on your Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if you have one and work towards your goals. 

Travel Training

Independent Travel Training is a service to help young people learn how to travel independently to their current or future school/college. Find out more about Travel Training by viewing the service record here

We spoke to Tim Griffiths from the Travel Training team. Listen to our conversaton below: 

We also created a short video which shows how Travel Training can be useful for young people. Watch below:

Learning to Drive

This part of our site is currently under review. Please check again soon!

What is Independent Travel Training?
Future Me Gloucestershire Interview - Independent Travel Training
Let's Talk Travel - Travel Planning
Let's Talk Travel - Buying Your Tickets
Let's Talk Travel - Common Travel Concerns
Let's Talk Travel - Passenger Assist

Related Information

Related Services

External Links

Skip back to top of page