Bristol to Gloucester

[whatajourney]

Yes, I know it's a long way for a child to travel everyday and not ideal but this is the situation we're in. We were / are planning to move house but the market is so cut-throat at the moment, it's proving difficult.

Now looking at ways we can get my DD to Ribston from Bristol in case we're still in this situation in September. The bus is a non-starter as it would be 30 mins from us to the bus stop and then close to 2 hour journey one way.
The train is 50 minutes and we're fairly close to Bristol Temple Meads. However, on the GWR website it says that children under 12 are not allowed to travel unaccompanied and if spotted, the transport police will be called!

Does anyone have any advice / experience on:
1. Travelling by train to school when under 12
2. Railcards / discounts for school kids for train travel
3. Getting from Gloucester train station to Ribston or other Glos grammar school.

Any help is much appreciated!

[hermanmunster]

GWR are now saying :

Children on their own
We prefer children to travel with an adult until they are mature enough to understand the risks.

If we’re worried about a child’s safety, we'll contact the British Transport Police for help and advice.

which is probably reasonable -suspect if they are in school uniform and heading in the right direction they will be allowed to continue

[Polgara_Glos]

Does she have a place for this September?

She’d need to catch a bus from the centre of Gloucester- it’s quite a way out. Denmark Road is the only one you can reasonably walk from the train station. I don’t know if there is a dedicated coach.

(You can also walk to SHS and Marling from the train not sure if your Glos is city or county or if there is even a train to Stroud from where you are ?)

ETA the school say there is a Bristol coach if you haven’t seen it. https://www.ribstonhall.gloucs.sch.uk/_ ... AA20AA.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; which may be better than a bus as unless it went near the school she’d need to get a bus from Glos city out to the school.

[whatajourney]

Yes, she has a place at Ribston starting this September.

It looks like it's a 30 minute walk /12 minute bike ride from Gloucester train station to the school so she could potentially take a fold-up bike (she's super sensible and capable), although we'd need to check the route in reality to see if it's feasible.

The coach from Bristol is 1.5 hrs + 30 mins to the bus stop so 2 hours each way, which is not an option.

Thanks for the update on the GWR policy. I know a lot of children come from Swindon to the Glos and Stroud grammars so I was a bit thrown to read that under 12s are not allowed unaccompanied.

[hermanmunster]

is there anywhere to leave the bike at the station? The NR site describes "bicycle parking" - might be worth enquiring

[Polgara_Glos]

I know the train to Stroud isn't ideal as they have to leave school early to get it (which is in no way ideal).

I'm from Gloucester and I know the route you're thinking, Bruton/Trier Way to Park End Road into Stroud Road. They are major, busy roads in the city unless you want her cutting through Tredworth residential streets. I would highly recommend you come up to Gloucester, check where the school is and the route to and from the station for her. I'm trying to think of an alternative, but I'm struggling. Most kids I know who come into Gloucester City Centre by bus, catch another to the school (bus station is opposite the railway station).

The Denwell coach is only 1hr10 though to Ribston/Crypt? So even adding in the 30 mins, that's 1hr 40 each way. Train would be e.g. 10-15 mins to station and be on platform in time, plus 50 mins, plus 15-30 mins to walk/cycle to school. That's 1hr 15-1hr 30.

Neither are great unfortunately.

[whatajourney]

We’re in Bristol, not Stroud currently so the bus is 2 hours minimum one way door to door. The train times mean she gets in too early or too late. I’m so stressed out about getting her to school - thinking about pulling her out from grammar all together.

[Polgara_Glos]

Sorry if I confused things by mentioning Stroud.

The Denwell coach leaves Bristol at 7am and gets to Ribston at 8:10? So even if it’s 30 mins to get her to the stop that’s less than 2 hours?

[Brackenboo]

I would guess the difficulty with the Denwell bus is that you would potentially have to commit to paying for that for the year, whether you moved or not.

I don't think there would be any cycle paths to Ribston so it would be on quite busy roads, I would say the train and then a bus would be a better option. Also safer when it gets darker in the winter as well.

Not sure if a part-exchange is an option for a house, we did that when we moved up to the area and they can be quicker. Definitely all seems very stressful!

You definitely need to think about whether Grammar is the best option if you don't think you will succeed in moving soon.

[whatajourney]

Thanks so much for your thoughts and help.