London transport and child independance

[culshie]

Hello Mumsnet!
I am a design student at the Royal College of Art and I am working with TFL to investigate how can the London community can transform its services so that children are better able to travel confidently, safely and independently by foot, bike, bus or tube or other forms of shared transport.
I would really love to know about your specific experiences (positive as well as negatives) while using London travel.
Which modes would you allow them to travel on independently? and at what age? Or are there smaller tasks you allow them to do to build independence in stages? Are there certain routes you prefer to take as they are quieter/safer?
Any comments would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for reading

[cestlavielife]

Most London children are travelling confidently on train tube bus etc when they reach secondary school age. My dds 12 and 14 take overground no problem .
Take tube bus and train routes at 08,00 . And at three pm to three foty five. Full of school kids.

[cestlavielife]

Ie they are travelling independently safely confidently already.... Your op implies negative experiences ??? Yet thousands of kids from year seven are travelling across London and in their neighbourhoods already ....

[500internalerror]

All that's needed is zebra crossings on busy roads (yes, I'm looking at the major roundabout just beyond Chicken Shed)...

[culshie]

What age did your children start travelling independently?

[culshie]

Also did you have any concerns when sending your children to school at a younger age?

[cestlavielife]

secondary age most kids travelling independently some will start in year six

[TRL]

My eldest is the only one to travel independently at the mo - he started last year in Yr 6. This year he's confident navigating all sorts of areas he's never been before. I'm quite strict about what time he'll be back in the evenings though but he's got pretty much free rein otherwise. The next child is currently Yr 5 and I expect he'll start making journeys by himslef next year too.

[spidey66]

Not a parent, but born and bred Londoner....admittely as I'm now in late 40s and as mentioned no kids myself so may have a different pov to parents now.

When I was a kid we were encouraged to be independent on public transport by secondary school age. My parents both drove so we didn't really use public transport much except the odd time into central London. I had to get a bus to school so was effectively 'coached' around this time. I was taken to the school and back by bus by my mum, shown where to get on and off and how to pay etc.

We were also shown the same with the tube but didn't use that for school. My mum took me to the next station down the line and met me at 'home' station.

This went further as I got older and would go out with friends from school so with them got more used to changing tubes etc.

Judging by others responses and by witnessing kids on public transport, I would say most parents still use starting secondary school as a benchmark as to when kids should be using public transport independantly. I don't see many unaccompanied primary school kids on the buses and tubes.