Southern supports independent rail travel for disabled youngsters

Five young Mid-Sussex people with learning difficulties have enjoyed a ‘Try a Train’ trip with Southern, boosting their knowledge and confidence to use train services independently.

The members of the Haywards Heath-based Kangaroos Disability Club were taken on a day trip by Simon Greenfield, Southern’s Station Manager for the Brighton Main Line from Haywards Heath to Preston Park.

Simon gave the group, including three members of the Club’s staff, a guided tour of stations on his patch, introducing them to all the features and support available to make their journey as easy as possible, and pausing for a drink and a snack at a café in Hassocks.

Carly Abigail, who led the Kangaroos party, said: “We were hoping to offer our members a greater insight into all of the different train services that are available, particularly for people with additional needs, to provide knowledge and a greater level of confidence to be able to access and use the train services by themselves in the future.

“All our expectations were fully met. Simon and his colleagues answered all our questions - we learned about things we hadn’t even considered before. We were impressed with all the services on offer, and learned so many details about the stations, the tracks, the trains, the number of people that use them, how many journeys are made, and more. The whole Southern team made it a very positive and warm experience for our members and staff alike.”

Simon said: "I had a great time with our guests from the Kangaroo group. They were really engaged and eager to learn. It was a really rewarding experience that I enjoyed as much as they did."

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