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£18m announced for cycle training for children and their families

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has today (Friday 9 April) announced £18m for cycle training across the country to ensure children and their families have the confidence to choose active travel, as the Government encourages everyone walk or cycle where possible.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has today (Friday 9 April) announced  £18m for cycle training across the country to ensure children and their families have the confidence to choose active travel, as the Government encourages everyone walk or cycle where possible.

The funding, which is managed by The Bikeability Trust charity, will go toward delivering high-quality, practical, on-road cycle training as a modern day equivalent of the ‘Cycling Proficiency’ scheme many parents will themselves have undertaken during their school days.

Bikeability goes beyond the playground, teaching children to cycle safely on modern roads. At different levels, children learn to:

  • Develop early cycle handling and awareness skills (Bikeability Balance)
  • Master pedalling (Bikeability Learn to Ride)
  • Prepare for on-road cycling (Level 1)
  • Cycle on single-lane roads and simple junctions (Level 2)
  • Handle busier streets, complex junctions and roundabouts (Level 3)

For families looking to improve their confidence cycling together, local authorities can offer bespoke Bikeability Family training sessions with an instructor, to help them feel confident in a range of scenarios, from a weekend ride to commuting and taking the children to school. Today’s investment will help ensure children are road-ready on their bikes as schools and families prepare for the summer term.

Physical activity like walking and cycling is proven to have numerous benefits, both in terms of fitness, wellbeing and attentiveness in school, and research into Bikeability cycle training specifically also shows that, after taking part, parents were more likely to feel confident in allowing their child to cycle independently.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“Cycling is a fun and healthy way for pupils to get to school, and we want as many as possible to make it their choice of transport. With social distancing still a necessity, the more people who walk or cycle, the more we can ease pressure on public transport as people return to normal life.

“But we know not all children, or parents, feel bike-confident. Today’s funding will kick-start our plans to provide Bikeability training to all children by 2025, giving the next generation of cyclists a life-skill and the confidence they need to choose a more active way to travel.”

Since its launch in 2006, more than 3.5 million children have taken part in Bikeability training, learning basic cycle handling skills, assessing risks and how to ride safely and confidently on the road.

Emily Cherry, Executive Director, Bikeability Trust said:

“The commitment of Government to fund Bikeability in this next year is hugely welcomed as we seek to ensure that every child can access cycling as a life skill by 2025. This record investment will allow us to reach more children and, importantly, their families too, as a result of additional funding for our Family module.

“Personally, I know the value of Bikeability cycle training for both children and their parents, having taken part in family training with my teacher husband and our children. Now, they cycle to school daily using the skills they learned from the training and as a family, we continue to enjoy cycling together. Bikeability is the first step to ensure that adults and children alike have the confidence and competence to cycle.”

Pupils of all ages should consider walking or cycling to school, especially if they live a short distance away from their school or college.

For those who live further afield and who are using public transport, plan ahead, allow more time for journeys and follow safer travel advice including wearing a face covering unless under the age of 11 or you are exempt, social distancing where possible and regularly sanitising your hands.

For those who are driving, they should avoid sharing a car with someone outside of their household or support bubble.

  • Bikeability is DfT’s flagship national cycle training programme for schoolchildren in England and is a key component of Gear Change.
  • Bikeability training provides schoolchildren with a life skill. It is a practical training programme, enabling trainees to cycle safely and confidently on today’s roads. More than 3.5 million children have received Bikeability training since the programme’s inception in 2007.
  • Bikeability provides three levels of training, providing a progressive pathway for trainees to develop their skills and confidence:
  • Bikeability Balance: Develops those crucial early cycle handling and awareness skills in 4-7 year olds using games on balance bikes, trikes or adapted cycles.
  • Bikeability Learn to Ride: For riders who can balance, this gets children to master pedalling and prepare them for Level 1.
  • Bikeability Level 1 aims to develop cycle handling in an off-road environment and prepare riders for cycling on the road.
  • Bikeability Level 2 will develop riders’ skills and confidence for cycling on single-lane roads and simple junctions with mostly moderate motor traffic flows, preparing riders to deal with short journeys such as cycling to school or the local shops.
  • Bikeability Level 3 equips riders with the skill and confidence to ride in more challenging roads and traffic situations – busier streets, queuing traffic, complex junctions and roundabouts. It also includes planning routes for safe cycling.
  • Bikeability Family helps people living in the same household to cycle together. They will be able to plan enjoyable group rides and help others develop their cycling skills and confidence.

Delivery

  • DfT delivers Bikeability in partnership with “The Bikeability Trust”, a dedicated charity, which administers training grant, quality assurance and programme development activities.
  • Bikeability training in England is currently delivered by more than 2,000 registered Bikeability instructors in England, and is quality assured to ensure consistent standards.
  • Despite the challenges during lockdowns, Bikeability has continued to deliver cycle training while schools have been open, including to children of key workers and children with SEND. Bikeability Family training, developed in response to Covid 19 restrictions, allows parents and carers to learn safe riding alongside their children, and the offer for 2021/22 will include 5000 family places.

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