Schools across England are set to benefit from new funding to get more children riding their bike or walking to school, Cycling Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has announced today (28 September 2020), as Bike to School Week gears up across the country.



A new million-pound programme will see cycle repair workshops set up in primary schools and local neighbourhoods to make sure students’ bikes are fit for the road.

‘Doctor Bike’ clinics will be rolled out next month, targeting areas where children, including those with disabilities, are more likely to need support in getting their bikes roadworthy for regular use on the school run.

Being physically active, such as cycling or walking to school, cuts the risk of developing health issues and helps kids to be more alert and ready to learn – positively impacting their health and wellbeing.

A further £1 million has also been announced to boost the number of children walking to school. The Walk to School Outreach Programme – which has already generated 4 million new walking trips – is being extended to roll out further measures to support walking.

This includes tackling the barriers that may prevent children and their families choosing to walk to and from school, as well as providing schools with classroom materials and access to local coordinators who can help schools get new walking initiatives up and running.

Cycling and Walking Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said:

Cycling and walking is good for people and the planet’s health, so we want half of all journeys to be cycled or walked by 2030. To do that, we must encourage young people to see cycling and walking as as normal as getting the bus or train.

This funding will support schools and local communities to get more children walking to school, and set up bike surgeries that will help children get their bikes ready to roll, so they can start their day healthy and happy!

CEO of Sustrans Xavier Brice said:

We’re delighted to be able to run Bike to School Week again this year, after what has been a time of great uncertainty for all families across the country.

Our new research shows that the majority of UK parents support changes that have already been made to the streets and places in their local area to make walking and cycling to school easier. It has also identified that interventions, such as cycle routes separated from road traffic, safer junctions and cycling training would help families travel actively to school more.

It’s fantastic that the UK government is recognising the role walking and cycling projects can play in helping families travel in a way that is good for their health and for the environment.

Today’s funding comes during Bike to School Week (28 September to 2 October) and ahead of Walk to School Week (5 October to 9 October).

The funding is part of a wider plan to create safer streets for cycling and walking, following the launch of the most ambitious plans yet, backed by £2 billion in government investment, to encourage even more people to choose active travel.

Bikeability training has also recently restarted in schools across England, helping children gain confidence and boost their cycling skills.

Are these children going to ride their bikes on the pavements or the road?

Originally Posted by susanb

Are these children going to ride their bikes on the pavements or the road?

Hopefully neither.....They should be riding on a comprehensive network of dedicated cycle-lanes/paths, safely separate from traffic.

Originally Posted by susanb

Are these children going to ride their bikes on the pavements or the road?

Sensibly on the pavement hopefully, Why do you have an issue with that?

Originally Posted by Ceam

Sensibly on the pavement hopefully, Why do you have an issue with that?

Most people wouldn't have an issue with a small child riding on the pavement but when it becomes small child + Mum, Dad and siblings it gets a bit ridiculous.
Any other parts of the Highway Code that you don't have any issue with being disregarded.

Originally Posted by Little Londoner

Most people wouldn't have an issue with a small child riding on the pavement but when it becomes small child + Mum, Dad and siblings it gets a bit ridiculous.
Any other parts of the Highway Code that you don't have any issue with being disregarded.

When you say most people, do you include yourself?

I encourage my son to use the pavement (He's 8), while I ride alongside in the road, as do all the other parents I know.

While technically illegal, in 2014 the Road Safety Minister, Robert Goodwill, actually confirmed that cyclists are permitted to ride on the pavement, as long as they do so considerately.

https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/n-a-3319/

P.S. any update on our driving assessment, or are you continuing to ignore it?

Originally Posted by susanb

Are these children going to ride their bikes on the pavements or the road?

Nearly all children used to walk to school. Then there were several reports of children being approached by strangers or even kidnapped - so people became scared to allow their children to go to school on their own. With so any parents dropping off/picking up children from school, the roads have become very hazardous at school times.

Later, Ofsted reports favoured certain schools above others - so many parents would send their children to more distant favoured schools instead of those within the home catchment area which meant additional car journeys.

There are numerous secondary school children who do cycle to school everyday - creating mayhem along busy routes for road commuters.

At present, there are hundreds of reports of bikes being stolen - so what encouragement is there for a healthy way of life?

Originally Posted by said

Nearly all children used to walk to school. Then there were several reports of children being approached by strangers or even kidnapped - so people became scared to allow their children to go to school on their own. With so any parents dropping off/picking up children from school, the roads have become very hazardous at school times.

Later, Ofsted reports favoured certain schools above others - so many parents would send their children to more distant favoured schools instead of those within the home catchment area which meant additional car journeys.

There are numerous secondary school children who do cycle to school everyday - creating mayhem along busy routes for road commuters.

At present, there are hundreds of reports of bikes being stolen - so what encouragement is there for a healthy way of life?

More kids cycling means less parents dropping/picking up, so should mean less traffic and safer roads.

Most 'road commuters' at the times of day that the children are cycling are usually those that are doing the school run, so back to my first point!

Originally Posted by said

Nearly all children used to walk to school. Then there were several reports of children being approached by strangers or even kidnapped - so people became scared to allow their children to go to school on their own. With so any parents dropping off/picking up children from school, the roads have become very hazardous at school times.

Later, Ofsted reports favoured certain schools above others - so many parents would send their children to more distant favoured schools instead of those within the home catchment area which meant additional car journeys.

There are numerous secondary school children who do cycle to school everyday - creating mayhem along busy routes for road commuters.

At present, there are hundreds of reports of bikes being stolen - so what encouragement is there for a healthy way of life?

Your post doesn’t make any sense at all. If all these children are causing so much mayhem, it fuels the argument that we need more dedicated cycle lanes not less. Schools are very secure places to leave a bike as long as basic precautions are taken. Hundreds of reports of stolen bikes, really?

.

Originally Posted by donkey22

Your post doesn’t make any sense at all. If all these children are causing so much mayhem, it fuels the argument that we need more dedicated cycle lanes not less. Schools are very secure places to leave a bike as long as basic precautions are taken. Hundreds of reports of stolen bikes, really?

There again, not much does make sense to you.

Originally Posted by justbecause

There again, not much does make sense to you.

Troll

Originally Posted by donkey22

Troll

Why don’t we meet up? I’m sure you will have one of those faces that I could never get tired of punching

Originally Posted by The PNP

Hopefully neither.....They should be riding on a comprehensive network of dedicated cycle-lanes/paths, safely separate from traffic.

I suppose that’s why all these latest cycle lanes link to secondary schools, oh sorry they don’t go anywhere near secondary schools.

The entire school journey has changed considerably, secondary schools are now much bigger, with a wider catchment area, many pupils don’t live just down the road from their school.

Go to any secondary school as pupils leave, a lot of pupils leave on foot or bike, they will be the ones living locally, like it or not there will also be buses and parents in cars for pupils living farther away, that is a simple fact.

What would you suggest, force school admissions to be local only, if you don’t live close to a school, tough.

Originally Posted by justbecause

Why don’t we meet up? I’m sure you will have one of those faces that I could never get tired of punching

Troll