With a new term on the horizon, Trenitalia c2c has produced a short film to support students who will be travelling by train to school unaccompanied for the first time.
With many secondary schools located along c2c’s South Essex and East London route, during term times students share busy carriages with commuters and day-trippers, alike, so the new film guides young people through a typical journey to school including details on how to buy a ticket, obtain a child Smartcard and how to check train times and travel safely.
Joe Hendry, Head of Stations, said: “We know that for many young people, travelling on the train to school alone for the first time can be quite a daunting experience so we hope this film will provide a level of reassurance both for parents and their children. We wish all our young students a great start to a new term.”
Iain Palmer, Head of Revenue Protection and Security, c2c added: “Although crime and safety-related incidents are thankfully rare on the c2c route, talking to your children about how to stay safe on the railway and what to do in an emergency is really important.
“It would be useful for parents to save the British Transport Police text number 61016 into their child’s phone and explain that they can text the police if they ever feel uncomfortable on their journey. Students can also talk to a member of rail staff or a police officer if they need help on a train or at a station,” he added.
As well as sharing the video with the public, c2c is sharing the video with all of the schools on the route, helping to share advice on travelling safety with their students.
Ahead of the new school year, parents and guardians are encouraged to apply for a child Smartcard to save time and avoid queuing at stations. The Smartcard is available for children aged between 5-15 years old, and links to an adult c2c account. More details can be found here: www.c2c-online.co.uk/tickets-and-fares/c2c-smartcard/child-smartcards/
You can watch the film here: