More than 2,000 primary school pupils in Nottingham have benefitted from a training scheme which teaches them how to ride a bicycle and prepares them for Bikeability training further down the line.
Lifecycle was designed and is delivered by Nottingham City Council’s road safety education team, with funding provided by the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
The project was launched in 2013 as an early intervention program which supports road safety education, sustainable transport and cycle safety. It is intended as a stepping stone towards Bikeability training.
James Fee, from Nottingham’s road safety team, said: “To date, Lifecycle has been delivered to 27 Nottingham primary schools and more than 2,000 children have taken part.
“Children of all cycling abilities are invited to take part, from those who can ride to those who have never even been on a bike. In fact, since February 2014, 442 children have learned to cycle thanks to Lifecycle.
“The scheme provides an introduction to formal cycling lessons until the child progresses to Bikeability. It is hoped that with the increased number of children learning to cycle thanks to Lifecycle, higher numbers of participation and pass rates for Bikeability will follow.”
The Lifecycle project includes lesson plans with set objectives and outcomes for each level. It can be replicated by other local authorities, schools or private training providers, particularly those already engaged in national standards Bikeability training.
For more information about Lifecycle contact James Fee by email.
Thanks for that Honor. I was just saying that it’s a pity that the police can no longer see it necessary to assist in the training of youngsters to assist them to be safer on bicycles. Something only they did at one time many years ago. As you say that role has been taken over by other public services and the private and charitable sector. There is nothing wrong in that just a pity that’s all. It appears that police officers still maintain some involvement when it comes to road safety for motorcyclists with the Advanced Rider Training that they promote and assist in.
bob craven Lancs
0
Bob,
The Road Traffic Act of 1988 placed statutory duties for road safety on the Local Highways Authorities, who still hold those legal duties today. The law requires them to undertake collision data analysis and appropriate remedial programmes of engineering and road user education, information and training. Every LHA works with their Police and Fire & Rescue colleagues to use their profile and approach to support our delivery of this essential service and the evidence shows that effective partnership working is the most effective means of reducing casualties as well as being most cost effective.
Road Safety GB provides advice and support to those professional Road Safety Officers and our partner agencies. We are providing advice and practical help on alternative methods of delivery and supporting programmes to enable professional and proven work to continue to contribute to the exceptionally successful reductions in casualties that have been achieved in this country during the past 24 years.
Despite road safety being a high priority with the population at large, the growing pressures and cuts in public service budgets by central government are threatening this service as never before: local Councillors are having to decide what services their councils can continue to provide and to what extent. Statutory services such as ours are required by law but the extent to which they will continue to be provided is a matter of much debate in LHAs around the country. We have already seen some smaller councils stopping road safety education altogether despite their statutory obligations.
Honor Byford, Chair, Road Safety GB
0
It’s a shame that we can’t go back in time and ask the police ACPO’s to become involved in this. They were brilliant and welcomed in every junior school that required their expertise. Every Division had two of them at least and they were never out of work with schools. That was until the 1980s and then I believe they were made redundant due to other policing commitments. Shame that.
bob craven Lancs
0