Cycling to School

Cycling England is committed to supporting young people cycling. 

A key part of its programme is Bikeability, the new cycle training scheme for children.  Launched in March 2007, the programme is now rolling out across England.  Cycling England's ambition is that within five years no child should leave primary school without the chance to receive Bikeability training.

Cycling is an ideal form of transport for young people providing a healthy, cheap and environmentally friendly way to get about, together with a degree of freedom and independence. Not surprisingly therefore, a high proportion of children in the UK say they would prefer to cycle to school.

Bikeability is the new cycling proficiency for the 21st century, and teaches children how to ride their bikes in today's traffic conditions.  By 2008/2009 up to 300,000 pupils will be trained by qualified instructors to get their Bikeability badges.  Further information on the scheme can be found at www.bikeability.org.uk.

'Bike It' is a nationwide scheme jointly funded by Cycling England and the bicycle industry, and coordinated by Sustrans, which aims to increase the number of young people cycling to school and on other journeys. There are currently around thirty Bike It officers in post, operating throughout England, each working with 10 - 12 schools, in partnership with local authorities. The participating schools have been selected for their enthusiasm for cycling, taking into account the potential to increase cycling in the area and the level of support available from their local authority. Cycling levels have quadrupled in many Bike It schools! 

Recently Cycling England have funded four further Bike It officers to work in and around the Cycling Demonstration Towns.

Bike to School Week: May 5-9th 2008

Cycling England aims to get more children cycling, more safely, more often and during Bike to School Week we hope to see many children cycling to school.

Useful Resources

• Safe Routes to School
• Links to schools
• Bike It

Latest Information

• Cycling England's response to 'Staying Safe'
  2007-11-09
• Cycling England factsheet
  2007-04-05
• Participation in cycling factsheet
  2007-04-05