The London Borough of Bromley is proudly relaunching its Independent Travel Training (ITT) programme, an initiative designed to transform the lives of young people by giving them the confidence, knowledge, and practical skills needed to travel safely and independently within their community. At its core, ITT isn’t just about buses, routes, or road safety. It’s about what happens beyond the journey: empowerment, self belief, and new possibilities.
For many families, supporting a young person with SEND into independent travel (to and from their school/college) can feel overwhelming. But ITT is built around empathy, patience, and celebration, meeting each young person where they are and walking with them, step by step, toward independence.
A Journey Built Around People, Not Timetables
The programme follows a bespoke process, typically delivered over one to two weeks, though always adapted to individual needs. Trainers begin with a home visit, meeting families, understanding the young person’s strengths, worries, and aspirations, and assessing road safety knowledge and familiarity with public transport. From there, the magic begins.
Trainers guide learners through their real journey, from home to school/college, showing them landmarks, helping them read timetables, building awareness of crossings, and practising “what if” scenarios such as a late bus or missing a stop. Repetition, reassurance, and real world experience gradually replace anxiety with confidence.
By week two, learners begin taking the lead. Leading the route themselves, travelling to ‘checkpoints’ independently, pressing the stop button, checking the route themselves, or identifying their bus stop without guidance. And when they complete the programme, they receive a certificate that means far more than paper. It represents courage, progress, and a new chapter of independence.
Among the first shining successes of the relaunch is Kyle Reader, one of Bromley Council’s supported interns and a student from The Oaks College. His determination and spirit have inspired everyone involved in the programme. Kyle’s training had two goals:
- Travel independently to a central meeting point where he is collected by his Contracted Shared Vehicle.
- Travel from home to the Bromley Civic Centre, where he and fellow students will soon begin their supported internship.
From the very first session, Kyle approached each challenge with enthusiasm. Trainers accompanied him on buses, through busy Penge roads, along local streets, and into community buildings, helping him learn the rhythm of real journeys. Through repeated practice, Kyle learned to wait safely at bus stops, interact safely and confidently with the public, understand when his bus was approaching, navigate crowds, stay aware of his surroundings, and travel calmly and confidently.
Captured moments from his training show Kyle engaging fully in the experience, chatting with staff, enjoying cups of tea with Trainers during mid journey breaks, and proudly standing with the staff who have championed his growth along the way.
And the best part? Kyle absolutely thrived.
His first independent arrival at the Bromley Civic Centre was a moment of quiet triumph, a visual symbol of everything he had worked for. Not just a journey completed, but a future unlocked. He recognised Churchill Court Staff, who welcomed him with open arms.
Kyle will now be able to travel to his supported internship with a new sense of ownership & control over his day, his routine, and his path forward. His success embodies the very heart of Independent Travel Training: helping young people not just reach a destination but discover what they are capable of along the way.
If you would like to learn more, check eligibility or make a referral, the ITT team can be reached at email ITT@bromley.gov.uk
