WHEELS 2 WORK SCHEME SUCCESS AT TTC - Thursday, March 13th, 2008
A teenage office worker’s “nightmare” journey to work each day has been given a helping hand by her Shropshire employer – and the Telford & Wrekin Council Wheels to Work scheme which helps overcome transport problems.
Kathryn Keane (19) spent three hours each day on four buses plus a one mile walk simply to get to work and back - travelling virtually the length and breadth of Telford to do it.
But the youngster enjoyed her job so much at the driver training specialists, the TTC Group, that she never complained about her five day a week trek to work and home.
The determined teenager’s 12 hour day began by catching the 7am bus near her Coalbrookdale home to arrive at her job as an office administrator at the TTC HQ in Hadley Park, Telford, just before 9am.
It involved a bus ride to Telford town centre, waiting to change buses for Trench Lock before walking to her office in Hadley Park. Her bus journey took her throughout Telford visiting Horsehay, Doseley, Dawley, Malinslee, Oakengates and Donnington - and return, arriving home at around 7pm.
“I never really thought about it. I just did it because there was no other option,” said Kathryn, who joined TTC on leaving Madeley Court School.
But with the help of the Telford & Wrekin Council Wheels to Work scheme funded by Advantage West Midlands, Kathryn swapped her arduous bus journey for her very own car after receiving help with driving lessons.
“I had 32 driving lessons at £20 each and they paid for half. I would never have been able to afford it otherwise,” said Kathryn, who now lives in Madeley, and has bought herself her first car.
“I never really had much time to do anything else but get to work and home. Now I have so much more time. The Wheels to Work scheme is fantastic. It really helped me out.”
Employer Jenny Wynn, TTC Group Director, who found out about the scheme said: “We were horrified when we discovered how long it took Kathryn to get to work and back. She never complained.”
The TTC Group runs speed awareness courses and the National Driver Improvement Scheme on behalf of police and councils. It is also the UK’s largest provider of courses for convicted drink drivers. For more information visit www.ttc-uk.com
Wheels to Work organiser Kellie Carr said “Wheels 2 Work is a scheme that provides transport solutions to remove barriers so that people have the opportunity to access work or training. This especially helps those who live in rural areas or don’t work conventional hours and do not have their own mode of transport”
