More than 1,500 children are now better equipped to cycle around Southend-on-Sea after completing Bikeability training during the last school year.
A total of 1,635 children aged 9-11 years took the Bikeability Level 2 training course, which takes place on local streets and teaches participants to deal with traffic on short journeys.
The course was first introduced in the Southend area in 2009, when 537 pupils participated. This year’s figures represent a 300% increase on that number.
Bikeability is the national standard for cycle training administered nationally by the DfT and delivered free of charge in Southend-on-Sea by the council’s road safety team.
60% of those who participated this year achieved all the outcomes of their training and were awarded a formal pass certificate. Southend council says those who didn’t pass will still have learnt skills that make them safer cyclists and have the opportunity to take part in summer cycling courses.
A subsequent survey of participants showed that 93% of respondents said they would recommend the course to others.
Councillor Tony Cox said: “At a time of increasing traffic congestion, challenges around asthma and childhood obesity, the importance of teaching our town’s children how to cycle safely has never been greater.
“I’m delighted that so many young people took up the opportunity to take part in this free training, which equips them with skills to stay safe on cycle paths and roads and helps grow a new passion for an activity keeps them fit, healthy and mobile.”
Sory Rod, but was there something funny or sarcastic in what I wrote? I am sure that the families who have lost a loved one due to no fault of their own but just being a motorcyclist would not necessarily agree with you. Perhaps the truth is not what you want others to know so perhaps you should keep to the 20 is plenty scheme.
I believe that motorcyclists have had the bad end of the stick for far too long. Decades in fact and are now once again being sidelined for the sake of those who would wish to travel by other but similar forms of transport. I have no problem with anyone receiving free training but I and others must understand there is a cost to taxpayers. Just recently one million was spent on just how to repair a tyre puncture. So let’s have some degree of both common sense and equality. I wonder what others would think of you if you believe as you do that motorcyclists are their own worst enemy. That 16 to 19 year olds, who are not exactly adults and are some of the most vulnerable road users out there on our roads should not receive free training. Receive it free but paid for by the government, or rather us also.
R.Craven Blackpool
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Terrible isn’t it. Adults who wish to ride a motorcycle have to pay for training out of their own pocket whilst kid’s wishing to ride their bike to grandma’s get free training funded by tax-payers. What is this world coming too!
Rod King
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Sounds good to me but I have a feeling that although it costs the students nothing it was not free and someone somewhere had to pay for it. If it was from a government source then the cost was born by us tax payers. If so then perhaps I can persuade whoever paid for it to give some free tuition to motorcyclists. That’s the other extremely vulnerable two wheeled group that suffers at the hands of other road users ie car and other four wheeled drivers. Training for this particular group seems to be somewhat lacking this year as compared year on year for the last 5 years or so. Nothing in the pot left I presume.
R.Craven Blackpool
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