homeKIDS: Use your own wheels to get to school
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Keen to cycle to school but your mum or dad says no? Maybe they’re worried about you? It's up to you to convince them that you can cycle responsibly and stay out of harm's way.
Here's a typical conversation...
You: "Mum, can I cycle to school?"
Mum: "No."
You: "Why not?"
Mum: "It's not safe."
You: "What do you mean?"
Mum: "The roads are dangerous."
You: "I wouldn't have to go on the main road and there's a cycle lane some of the way. Anyway, you drive on the roads every day."
Mum: "Yes, but I'm older than you are and I know what I'm doing."
You: "What if I had proper cycle training?"
Mum: "That would help. But I'm still not happy about the idea."
You: "I would wear a helmet, and reflective gear."
Mum: "You certainly would! But your bike's been sitting in the garage for months - it's probably not safe."
You: "I could take it to the bike shop for a service, and we're having bike maintenance classes at school, so I'll be able to look after it myself."
Mum: "Mmmm, well, I suppose it would be good for you to get some more exercise..."
You: "And you wouldn't have to take me to school every day."
Mum: "That's true."
You: "So, can I?"
Mum: "Ask your dad.
[Later...
You: "Dad, can I ride my bike to school?"
Dad: [watching telly]: "What? Er, OK."
You: "Cool!"
Do I have to cycle every day?
No, just when you want to. Even really keen cyclists give it a miss occasionally! So if you’ve got a cello lesson or it’s raining or you simply don’t feel like it, feel free to leave your bike at home. There’s always tomorrow.
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FACTS
Cars cause 21 per cent of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions – the main cause of global warming. 90 per cent of children have got a bike and over 30 per cent would like to cycle to school but only 1 per cent do.
One in seven kids in the UK have asthma, which has been linked to car fumes.
One in four car journeys are a bike-friendly two miles or less.
The number of kids driven to school by car has doubled since 1985.
On a bike you can travel four times faster than you walk for the same amount of energy.
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The above text has been adapted from the literature supplied to children by the Bike It scheme. Bike It is a cycling-to-school scheme supported by Cycling England and the Department for Transport and is funded by the cycle industry from the Bike Hub levy scheme. The scheme is managed by Sustrans.
THERE'S LOADS AND LOADS OF MORE BIKE TO SCHOOL INFO HERE.
Editor's recommended sources for further information;
Creating safe routes to school for children (and, of course, teachers and parents...); is a priority for Sustrans and this site is a microsite offshoot from the main Sustrans website.
Bike it! is a national cycling scheme which aims to encourage schoolchildren to take to two wheels. The scheme is co-ordinated by Sustrans and co-funded by the Department for Transport and the British bicycle industry via the Bike Hub levy. Through a wide range of events and activities schoolchildren will be encouraged to take to their wheels. They will receive professional, accredited on-and-off road cycle training to equip them to cycle to school. The scheme also aims to tackle practical issues such as secure cycle storage, cycle paths and traffic calming measures close to schools. Vicki Hill, Sustrans' Bike it! co-ordinator for York, said: “This new project is very exciting. Children love to cycle and our aim is to harness that enthusiasm and develop it so that children can become safe and responsible cyclists at an early age. Children who have been taught to cycle safely have a much better developed road sense." There are currently 41 Bike It officers, looking after hundreds of schools.
