Lancashire bids to keep top spot for child cycle training

A report to Lancashire County Council's cabinet this week sets out proposals to deliver cycle training to thousands more children over the coming year.

The council expects to receive between £1m and £2m from the Department for Transport to deliver the national Bikeability training programme.

Cabinet members will be asked to agree to invite bids from training providers to deliver the scheme in one or more of Lancashire's 12 districts when they meet on Thursday 5 October.

A recent study found that a higher proportion of pupils in Lancashire received cycle training than anywhere else in the North West, with 8 out of 10 participating during their final years of primary school. Almost 12,000 pupils in the county completed cycle training in the past year.

County Councillor Scott Smith, Lancashire County Council lead member for highways and active travel, said "Cycle training not only teaches children how to ride their bikes - it also helps them gain confidence, develop independence, and learn how to respond to risks.

"More and more people are choosing to cycle for everyday journeys, as well as for leisure, and it's important that our young people have the opportunity to become proficient on their bikes.

"We're fortunate that our schools share our commitment to ensuring their pupils benefit from this training, and that we have a number of really great providers in Lancashire who we look forward to working with to deliver the Bikeability programme."

The programme is delivered in three stages, with Level 1 teaching children fundamental skills on the playground, Level 2 seeing them learn how to handle their bikes on the road and Level 3 tackling busier, multi-lane roads and more complex junctions.

You can find out more about walking and cycling in Lancashire at lancashire.gov.uk/activetravel.