Government funding boost for children’s cycle training

More school children across England will now learn essential cycling skills thanks to a £13 million government investment in Bikeability.

Bikeability training is offered at three levels based on a child’s age and experience, with training starting with basic bike-handling skills in a traffic-free, controlled environment and builds to managing a variety of traffic conditions on different types of roads.

In the year up to April 2019, approximately 400,000 children had completed the scheme, while the total number trained since Bikeability was launched in 2006 has now reached three million.

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, said: “Cycling and walking are great forms of exercise, helping to reduce child obesity, and boosting people’s physical and mental health. I am delighted to see Bikeability has now supported three million children to take to their bikes safely and confidently, kick-starting a lifetime of cycling for them. I hope that the £13 million investment announced today will help them continue to train millions more young cyclists over the coming years.”

Gavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education, said: “The benefits of cycling to school go far beyond providing an active and fun way for children to get to school. Cycling cuts carbon emissions and traffic levels outside of schools by taking cars off the road. The government’s Bikeability scheme gives young people the knowledge and confidence they need to cycle safely, providing peace of mind to parents, pupils and schools and I’m so pleased that we’re able to invest this new money in the programme – it’s an investment in our future.”