YGMG has been shortlisted by Cardiff Council and Sustrans for this exciting venture that has been tried and tested for us in England and it is now ready for Cardiff!
Bike It Cardiff
Tim Anfield is the new Bike It Officer for Cardiff.
As part of Cardiff Council's Sustainable Travel City initiative, Bike It has come to Cardiff to work with schools to increase the number of pupils safely cycling to schools. Working closely with colleagues at the Road Safety Centre, Eco Schools and Healthy Schools, YGMG has been shortlisted (20 schools for 12 places) for involvement in the Bike It scheme!
What is Bike It
Bike It is an exciting scheme organised by the UK's leading sustainable transport charity, Sustrans. You may know of them from projects such as the National Cycle Network (Taff Trail os part of it) and Connect 2 (Pont-Y-Weren is part of this), the lottery funded project won by TV vote.
The project is completely free and Tim will work closely with 12 schools a year across Cardiff to promote and demonstrate cycling as a safe, healthy and popular activity. The project has been massively successful around the UK tripling the numbers of pupils cycling to schools in more than 443 schools since it's formation in 2003.
How YGMG can become a Bike It School?
We need to encourage Mr James to participate! (IJames@cardiff.gov.uk)
Further Background
Bike It - in your school
The benefits of cycling to school…
In class - pupils perform better in class following physical activity in the morning
Health – cycling is an easy way to meet the recommended physical activity targets
The local environment – more cyclists = less cars, slower speeds & less congestion
Climate change – personal car use contributes 13% of UK greenhouse gas emissions
Happiness – studies show that 49% of children would like to cycle to school, only 2% do
What you get from Bike It...
Support with:
- Organising promotional events and activities.
- Providing incentive schemes and competitions for pupils.
- Presentations and assemblies for parents and pupils.
- Cross-curricular classroom-based sessions on a 'cycling' theme.
- Cycle skill training in the playground and on-road with Cardiff Council.
- Dr Bike – practical cycle maintenance and skill workshops.
- Building links and deals with local cycle shops and providers.
- Providing training and support for school 'champions'.
- Addressing concerns about safety and liability and identifying safe routes.
- Working towards
Every Child Matters, Healthy Schools and Eco-Schools. - Positive publicity about cycling to school and much, much, more…
And what we need from you...
Secure cycle storage in place, or a commitment to work towards this by the summer term
- School Travel Plan in place or in development, which includes ambitious cycling targets.
- A flexible approach to your cycle to school policy.
- Identification of a school champion for the project, who is able to commit time to the project, and is easily contactable.
- Willingness to commit class time and assemblies when appropriate.
- Commitment to carry out before and after surveys to establish base-line and after-project cycling levels.
Further information information visit www.sustrans.org.uk/bikeit
