"I would like to congratulate the scheme Wheels 2 Work...
My son Nicholas was offered employment in Whichurch, which is over 13 miles from our home in Crewe, he had to start work at 8am sharp and at times arrive at various farms in the North West to remove and construct Chicken sheds, which was the employers business. Due to the sparse public service transport offered to the town of Whichurch or direct transport to the farm they were working at Nicholas had this transport issue, he was unable to sustain the 8 hour working day coupled with nearly 6 hours travelling and reluctantly had to let the job go.
We heard of the Wheels to work scheme, but this was after he lost the above job. He has now how ever managed to secure a much better full time job that will lead to him being a, skilled employee.
He has taken up a full apprenticeship with Volvo UK, this will lead to him being a full skilled commercial mechanic in a few years time, he has only been able to take this offer of work and training because of the Wheel to work scheme had offered him the use of a 50cc moped to travel to Chesterton in Staffordshire, again this is a place that is difficult to get to using public transport, which involves several bus changes and a trip of nearly 2 hours each way, plus he is able to be flexible with his finishing time, which is a quality the employer likes.
I addition to being able to travel to work, being on the scheme has given him a taste of motorcycling, and he is currently saving to get a 125cc on the road before he leaves the Wheels to work scheme.
Nicholas will have for the rest of his life the understanding and experience of the motorcyclist on the road, irrespective of the vehicle he is travelling in or on, this invaluable understanding is sadly missing from many young car drivers who have little or no consideration for fellow road users and especially the motorcyclist.
My wife and I who are both keen motorcyclists are pleased he has been able to take up the motorcycle as a form of transport as it’s generally more environmentally friendly, it is known that 5 motorcycles can replace the space used by 1 car on the road, and in general be less polluting, they have a smaller carbon foot print and impact than a car, this has to be the way forward to reduce the one person in a car syndrome that appears to be clogging up the roads.
Again many thanks and I hope the scheme continues to reach its aims and objectives of providing an innovative way of overcoming the transport barriers affecting young people from obtaining meaningful employment and learning opportunities.
Regards
Nigel Farr
(Parent of Nick Farr)
