By Martin Walker
A group of young people are undergoing an intensive training programme aimed at tackling anti-social driving problems in Newton Aycliffe.
The volunteer learners, aged between 14 and 25, are taking part in an intensive 10-week project at Aycliffe Youth Centre, to improve their perception of dangerous driving.
The course has been designed specifically to target “boy racer” problems in Tesco car park as well as nearby residential areas.
Newton Aycliffe Youth Development Team have gained Home Office funding from Community Action Against Crime Innovation Fund to develop the two-year vehicle education project, which is called “First Gear and on Two Wheels”.
The grant, totalling £46,978 which runs over two years, will bring multi-agencies together to help educate young people about responsible car and motorbike use and ownership.
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The programme will include six full-day events, when all year 10 pupils from both comprehensive schools – Woodham and Greenfield – will attend a carrousel of workshops.
It also includes six 10-week, accredited programmes, which will work more intensively with small groups, covering basic practical skills in vehicle use and an opportunity to explore a range of other issues using motor vehicles as a focus.
“Young people are challenged to examine their attitudes to owning and driving vehicles and are provided with the skills to become safe and responsible drivers, riders, passengers and owners of vehicles,” said Jenny Walton, youth development worker for Durham County Council’s One Point, which provides services for children, young people and families.
“We use a multi-agency approach, motoring and evaluation methods, as this will be an important element of trying to sustain future funding.
“We understand that Tesco have had issues surrounding young people and their vehicle use, which have been the same as identified by the youth centre and the local community.
“The project aims to address these issues from a community involvement perspective, and will work with the local police and road safety teams, fire service, prison officers, youth workers and a local driving instructor to educate young people and highlight the dangers and consequences of their actions.”
Jack Braley, from Jack’s Driving School in Aycliffe who is part of the course, said: “Driving is great and young people love driving, it opens the world for them, but we just want to make sure they do it as safely as possible, have sense, control and a bit of responsibility.”
Vince Crosby, chairman of Aycliffe Youth Centre, said: “It shows what can be done by working together and creating a partnership. This project involves a number of agencies to create a really worthwhile course which will benefit the wider community in Newton Aycliffe.”
Brett Robinson, who is taking part in the course, added: “It’s aimed to give us more confidence with driving. More people our age have crashes, so more experience for us will save lives.
“We’ve got behind the wheel and it gives us some experience of driving – I’m really enjoying it.”
Pictured above is (left-to-right): Aycliffe Youth Centre chairman Vince Crosby, driving instructor Mally Pybus, youth worker Jenny Walton and volunteer learner Josh Pearson.
Below, Paul Cook takes a test drive with Mally Pybus from Aycliffe-based Jack’s Driving School.
