Garda pass on cycling safety messages to pupils

Hundreds of school children pedalled their way through the streets of County Mayo in Ireland yesterday (6 June) as part of a campaign in which specially-trained Garda cyclists passed on road safety skills.

The children, all aged over 10 years, cycled in teams of three and utilised lessons learned from cycling proficiency courses. Each team was accompanied by a judge who assessed their cycling ability.

Noel Gibbons, Mayo County Council’s RSO, said: “It is crucial that people learn how to cycle safely on our roads from a young age, and we aim to show them some of the key aspects of road safety.”

Sergeant Christine Quinn, divisional traffic corps, Castlebar, said: “This great competition gets children to think about their own welfare when cycling.

“Getting children to be aware of safety issues will help improve the image of cycling and increase its popularity. During the competition the children learn vital lessons on how to cycle in a safe and responsible manner. I hope that this competition spurs on more children to get on their bikes and get active.”

For more information contact Noel Gibbons on 0877870055.