Free bus travel is being offered every weekend throughout September across all Portsmouth bus routes, giving local people the chance to explore the city at no cost. This initiative comes at the perfect time to build on the success of the Portsmouth Teenage Project’s summer scheme, which saw young people gaining independence and confidence through their own travel training, cycling and public transport experiences. With offering free travel on the buses this month, this is giving our young people an opportunity to put into practice everything they had learnt over the summer, so the programme offered by Enable Ability can be continued but in their own time, with the support of their parents and carers.
The Portsmouth Teenage Project has once again delivered an unforgettable summer of activities, packed with opportunities for young people to develop independence, explore their city and make new memories with new friends. Across August, our summer scheme combined travel training, sport, culture and adventure, with each week offering something unique for our participants.
We began the summer with an Independent Travel Training Induction Day, setting the tone and expectations for the weeks ahead. Young people were welcomed with a prize draw, run by Portsmouth City Council representatives, where three lucky winners went home with brand-new bikes. The group then took part in a special visit to the Guildhall Chambers, chaired by Mike Stoneman – now retired, but was the Deputy Director of Education when we visited in July. We were also joined by Councillor Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport; as well as other senior figures within the council. The morning gave our young people the chance to speak directly with city leaders about how public transport in Portsmouth could be improved.
The day continued outdoors with bike handling sessions in Victoria Park, as part of our ongoing travel-confidence programme. Special thanks go to Rob Vince from Stagecoach, who supported the day with a double-decker bus, unsurprisingly one of the highlights for the group.
Our second day of travel training took young people onto the streets of the city with a Bikeability session, led by Donna and her team from Pedal Power. Starting in Victoria Park, the ride led all the way down to the seafront, giving participants real-world experience of Portsmouth’s cycling routes while developing confidence and road safety awareness. With the support of our dedicated staff team; goes without saying, everyone from our brave bunch of young people completed the challenge of riding a bike.
Week two of the programme once again showed the determination and enthusiasm of our young people. Tailored training sessions focused on those living in the north of the city, with practice bus journeys to Gunwharf Quays and a trip to the cinema to see Disney’s Freakier Friday. For those seeking more adrenaline, a rib ride on the Solent was also organised and was a huge hit.
We are proud to say that despite the challenges many of our young people live with day-to-day, their positive attitude and good behaviour shone through, helping to make the second week another great success.
The final week of the summer scheme truly brought to life everything Enable Ability stands for; creating opportunities, building independence and making lasting memories. Independent Travel Training continued, with participants practising bus journeys across the city before some took on the challenge of wakeboarding at the South Coast Wakepark, a quite unique style of independent travel training but still got them from one end of the lake to the other! The group then enjoyed a barbecue with music, before ending the day by making music of their own at The BASE, a new venue in the basement of the Portsmouth Guildhall.
James Donougher, Project Leader at Enable Ability said “This summer has been one of the most rewarding we’ve ever delivered through the Portsmouth Teenage Project. It’s been inspiring to see our young people grow in confidence, build independence and take on challenges they may never have thought possible. From speaking directly with city leaders to cycling across Portsmouth and even trying wakeboarding for a first time, every activity has shown just how much potential our young people have when given the right opportunities. I’m incredibly proud of them all and grateful to our staff, volunteers and many community partners who made this summer such a success.”
Young People’s Voices
As part of our induction day, young people had the chance to share their own views directly with Portsmouth City Council in the Council Chamber. Here’s what they told them:
Favourite places to visit in Portsmouth
Gunwharf Quays (including the cinema), the beach, school, town centre and Clarence Pier arcade.
How they travel around the city
Cycling, walking, bus, train and taxi.
How often they use public transport
Answers ranged from never to at least twice a week.
What they like about public transport
Quieter electric buses, ticketing apps and fair bus prices.
What worries them
Getting off at the wrong stop, noise on buses, too few buses and the high cost of taxis (for example, £20 from Cosham to Portchester).
Suggestions for improvements
Free bus tickets for children under 16, more fun travel options like open-top buses, ‘quiet’ areas for autistic passengers, stricter enforcement of disabled seating, more routes and safer cycle infrastructure; particularly around the Cosham roundabout.
How young people can help each other
Sharing information about bus stops and apps, and making sure everyone has a ticket.
Free Bus Travel in September
Following on from the summer activities, Portsmouth City Council is now offering all residents a chance to experience bus travel for free. Every Saturday and Sunday in September, journeys on all bus services within the city boundary (including the Pompey Link service) are completely free. No ticket is needed, just hop on and ride.
The free travel dates remaining are: 20, 21, 27 and 28 September.
This is a fantastic opportunity for people who may not usually use buses, or who want to reduce their travel costs, to give it a go. Buses remain an affordable, accessible and sustainable way of getting around Portsmouth, helping to reduce congestion, improve air quality and make the city more connected.
You can find out more at: https://travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-transport/freebus/
Looking Ahead
The Portsmouth Teenage Project has had a summer full of lots of energy, adventure and independence. From cycle rides to cinema trips, from rib rides to wakeboarding, and from council debates to music-making; our young people have shown what can be achieved with the right opportunities and support.
Our Summer in Pictures
