Devon County Council

From Adrian Lane, Exeter 383262, July 04, 2008

ANOTHER 1,000 schoolchildren have received cycle training this school year thanks to Devon County Council's cycle training officers.

Almost 2,000 children have now taken part in the Bikeability courses in the city over the past two years with the help of Cycle Exeter.

The 1,000 mark for the current school year was recently reached at St Michael's School in Heavitree. Cycle Exeter instructors trained over 60 children at St Michael's School to Bikeability Level Two. Bikeability is the new government standard for cycle training and is offered free to all children in Exeter, subsidised by Cycle Exeter with Cycling England funding.

Councillor Margaret Rogers, Devon County Executive Member for Environment, said: "This is yet another great achievement for Cycle Exeter and its success continues to go from strength to strength. All Exeter schools are offered free training so it's pleasing to see so many children taking the opportunity to take part in the Bikeability courses. Bikeability cycle training is delivered by Cycle Exeter professional cycle instructors and the Level 2 course gives the trainees the skills and confidence to make cycle journeys on quiet roads. It's important that youngsters are taught this essential road safety awareness as well as being able to help make Devon greener."

Tim Walker, Headteacher at St Michael's School, said: "We are pleased that so many children from St Michael's achieved the required standard. The training team were excellent!"

Councillor Olwen Foggin, Devon County Councillor for Heavitree and Whipton Barton, said: "To have trained 1,000 children in this school year is a marvellous effort. My grandson Robbie has completed level one and two. I was impressed his training was over a week, and the course really prepares children to cope with traffic. The Cycle Exeter team can be proud of the difference they are making to the lives of so many youngsters. Bikeability is providing them with an important life skill that will hopefully encourage them to cycle to school, therefore reducing congestion and helping them get fitter too."

New cycle training courses start from later this month and for the first time will be run from two training venues and the catchment area has been extended to open it to children living near the Exe Estuary as well as Exeter. The courses will be held at St Nicholas Catholic Primary School and Redhills Community Primary School to allow more children to access the training.

Councillor Rob Hannaford, Devon County Councillor for Exwick and St Thomas, said: "It is great news that Redhills Primary is being used as an additional training venue for the Bikeability course. This will make it even easier for more children to access this valuable training and it reassures parents that their children have had the best training available."

The training is divided into different levels; Level One for children aged from seven to nine years old to help them develop their basic bicycle handling skills with exercises and fun games in a traffic free environment, Level Two for children aged ten or over which develops cycling skills in a traffic free environment before progressing on quiet local roads with real traffic conditions, and Level Three for secondary school children and carried out on busier roads.

Level One courses during school holidays will be held from 10am to 12noon on Monday 28 July at Redhills, Monday 11 August and Monday 25 August at St Nicholas, Monday 27 October at Redhills, as well as Saturday 15 November at St Nicholas.

Level Two Courses during school holidays will be held at Redhills Primary from 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 3pm from Monday 28 July - Friday 1 August, and Monday 4 August - Friday 8 August, as well as 10am to 12noon from Monday 27 October - Friday 31 October. At St Nicholas Primary, they will be held from 10am to 12noon and 1pm to 3pm, from Monday 11 August - Friday 15 August, Monday 18 August - Friday 22 August, and Monday 25 August - Friday 29 August.

Level Two courses will also be held over five consecutive Saturdays, starting at Redhills Primary from 10am to 12noon on Saturday 6 September and finishing on Saturday 4 October. At St Nicholas Primary, the Saturday courses will be held from 10am to 12noon from Saturday 15 November to Saturday 13 December.

There are also Level Three courses which will run from 4pm to 5:30pm at Redhills Primary from Monday 28 July - Wednesday 30 July, and 1pm - 2:30pm from Monday 27 October - Wednesday 29 October. Level Three will be held at St Nicholas Primary from 4pm - 5:30pm from Monday 11 August - Wednesday 13 August and Monday 25 August - Wednesday 27 August.

Places on the course must be booked in advance. For a booking form or more information go to www.devon.gov.uk/cycleexeter call 0845 1551004 or email cycleexeter@devon.gov.uk

For more information on Bikeability visit www.bikeability.org.uk

Notes for Editors:

For more information contact Colin Savage on 01392 383490 or email colin.savage@devon.gov.uk

Councillor Margaret Rogers 01297 680384.

Councillor Olwen Foggin, 01392 660430.

Councillor Rob Hannaford, 01392 203296.