Cycling Initiatives

Why Cycle to/from School?

• Regular cycling can improve health and fitness as well as helping keep weight down.
• It saves money!  After the initial bike purchase, running costs are very low compared to a car.
• Parent's or students who drive don't have to bother with finding a parking space.
• It can save time – in busy urban areas, cycling can often be faster than travelling in a vehicle.
• Bikes can go where cars can't! – cyclists can take short cuts as they don't have to stick to the roads.
• It helps the local environment as cycling relieves traffic congestion and bikes don't emit carbon dioxide.
• Around 90% of children have got a bike and over 30% would like to cycle to school but very few currently do.
• One in four car journeys are a 'bike friendly' two miles or less.
• A cyclist can travel four times faster than a pedestrian using the same amount of energy.
• It's fun!

Schools can promote cycling by taking part in initiatives such as national Bike Week (usually in June) or 'peddle to school' days.

Interest in bikes and cycling can be stimulated by introducing it into the curriculum in a variety of ways:

• The development of cycling and how bikes evolved into the designs we know today (history).
• How gears and pedals work and about velocity and motion (science).
• Design new types of engine-less transport methods (Design).
• Study sustainable travel and the impact of vehicles on the environment (Geography).

Some schools buy bikes so that students can ride them during activity time such as in PE lessons.

Worcestershire County Council runs the Bikeability cycle training scheme for pupils which complies with the Bikeability National Standard expected by central government. The authority has a pool of qualified cycle instructors to ensure as many pupils as possible can benefit from the training. There are three Levels and each course is delivered by two accredited cycle instructors.

Schools will be contacted by WCC about this training and more information can be found by visiting our Bikeability pages or by emailing Bikeability@worcestershire.gov.uk.

Follow the links below for more information on:

 The Cycle Train
 The Cycle Permit Scheme
 National Bike Week

Worcestershire County Council produce a variety of Walking and Cycling Maps which are available for download.