MPs and peers get lesson in cycling from school kids

A group of London school children, along with more than 25 MPs and peers took part in a Bikeability training session as part of the annual All Party Parliamentary Bike Ride today.
The group were put through their paces with a training session from a Bikeability instructor before setting off on the ride.

The school children, MPs and Gwyn Prosser MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, departed from Speaker’s Corner and followed a route of cycle lanes along Constitution Hill and The Mall, before turning down Whitehall and ending at the Houses of Parliament.
Bikeability is cycling proficiency for the 21st century, designed to give children and young people the skills and confidence to cycle on today’s roads.

MPs were given a taster of both Level 1 Bikeability – assessing bike control, emergency stopping and indicating – and Level 2, which takes trainees onto the roads, encouraging them to cycle confidently and make eye contact with drivers.

The school children supported the ride to highlight the fact that children want cycle training and to be able to cycle to school. Recent research by Cycling England revealed that the nation’s school children want to cycle to school, with one third of children saying they would be more awake and better prepared for the day ahead, yet only 1% are currently allowed to cycle to school. One quarter say that travelling to school by car leaves them feeling lazy and lethargic.

Cycling England hopes to reverse this trend by investing in Bikeability training for our future generations:

Paul Clark, Transport Minister, said:

“It’s great to hear that children would prefer to cycle rather than be driven to school, which is not only better for the environment, but better for their health and fitness. That’s why it’s so important to give them the skills and confidence they need to be able to cycle to school and to continue to cycle as adults. The Government is investing £10million in Bikeability in the coming year, with the aim of training 500,000 children by 2012.”

Phillip Darnton, Chairman of Cycling England, commented:

“We’re delighted to see that school children are leading the way in showing their newly-acquired cycle skills to our Parliamentarians. Cycling is a life skill and we know that cycling to school, to friend’s houses, or just as a fun activity in its own right, can play a hugely positive role in a child’s overall development.”
Stanley Harvey, a Year 6 pupil from Julian’s Primary school in Streatham, said:

“I like that I can ride my bike to school. It is not very far and means I get there quicker – and it makes you fitter.”
The All Party Parliamentary Bike Ride takes place ahead of Bike Week, which starts at the weekend.