The high quality Bikeability cycle training is being made available to local school children for free by Bath & North East Somerset Council from September 2011.
The Council has joined forces with experienced cycle training provider’s Cycling Instructor Ltd and the price for Bikeability training has been cut from £20 per young person to £0. They want to substantially increase the number of young people taking part in the training from 900 last year.
Councillor Roger Symonds (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Transport, said, “By funding a specialist provider of Bikeability training, Bath & North East Somerset Council is able to deliver the programme more efficiently and reduce the cost to all individuals to nothing. The training is really important because it provides more confidence for young people who ride bicycles to use this sustainable method of transport going to school and in their spare time.”
The Bikeability training standard is designed to give the next generation of cyclists the skills and confidence to ride their bikes on today’s roads. It is part of the Council’s ongoing efforts to encourage young people to walk or cycle to school together with the Safer Routes to School program and Bike-It project, which is funded by the Council and provided by Sustrans.
Paul Lowe, Director at Cycling Instructor Ltd, said “We are delighted that Bath & North East Somerset Council has appointed us to deliver their programme of Schools Cycle Training. We look forward to working with the Council, local schools, and other cycling stakeholders in the area.“
Schools are already booking through an easy to use and convenient online system via http://www.cyclinginstructor.com and training will commence in the Autumn Term. A 4 day Instructor Training in Bath on 1st & 2nd, 8th & 9th October is also being run. The course is free to Instructors who deliver Bikeability training in Bath and North East Somerset on behalf of Cycling Instructor.