Breaking Barriers to Cycling - Not Just the Right Tools
"My dad wanted to mend my bike but he hasn’t got the right tools". This was the comment from a young pupil at a local school today when we were busy fixing pupils’ bikes as part of our Grange Avondale Brightwayz Cycle Project. His bike is now fixed with shiny brake cables and new brake blocks.
We know that cycling is good for us all whatever our age - it saves us money, keeps us fit and is not just a fun leisure activity but a practical way of getting around town too. We meet so many people who would like to cycle more - not just for their own personal benefit but for environmental reasons too - they would love to be able to switch some car trips to cycling. So what is stopping them?
Some of the barriers to cycling are obvious - too much traffic and not enough separate safe cycle routes. It will take a long time to feel as safe as our Dutch neighbours do, but highways authorities in England are being encouraged by the government to put together strategic plans for safe cycle and walk networks for their larger towns. Waiting for the funding and local agreement on how to build them won’t happen overnight but at least progress is being made.
In the meantime we need to make the most of the safe routes we have and overcome some of the other barriers to at least create more of a cycle culture. So if dad doesn’t have the tools to fix his son’s bike, we need to sort that and more… we can fix that child’s bike but for next time give some basic tools and some guidance so dad and son can do it together.
Or if a child doesn’t have a bike at all which is the right size, we need to look at cycle swap or donation schemes.
If they’ve never learnt to cycle, that needs to be flagged up and lessons provided. Cycling is a life-skill and just like learning to swim it is something that every child should be confident and safe doing before they leave primary school.
If they’ve never learnt to cycle, that needs to be flagged up and lessons provided. Cycling is a life-skill and just like learning to swim it is something that every child should be confident and safe doing before they leave primary school.
Our Grange Avondale project has a strong focus on helping local primary school children to be ready for Bikeability - the national cycle training course for Years 5 and 6 (ages 9 to 11). Pupils can take part in this important training if they have a bike in good condition and can already ride it. If they don’t… then they can’t take part. So our ‘Bikeability ready’ project is about matching pupils with refurbished bikes if they don’t already have one, ensuring bikes that belong to pupils are safe (thus our work today) and checking pupils can cycle well enough - so they can have some help to learn in time if needed.
By working closely with the school and getting to know the pupils and teachers we hope to uncover and remove any more barriers to cycling these children are experiencing… whether or not dad has the right tools.
Note: The Grange Avondale Brightwayz project which includes the ‘Bikeability-ready’ activities is funded by Well Northants Community Funding from North Northamptonshire Council.
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