Cycling strategy - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Blackburn with Darwen Cycling Strategy
Cycle training and engagement
With the third highest percentage of children under
the age of 16 years in the whole of England (25.2%)
the borough has a very young population and
consequently a lower than average proportion of the
elderly. Furthermore, with over 20% of the population
being of Asian heritage (UK average 4.4%) the cycle
strategy needs to reflect the boroughs very distinct
demographic profile.
Over the next 20 - 30 years the Government proposes to
dramatically increase the levels of cycling and walking to
reduce issues of childhood obesity and reduce the reliance
placed upon the private car. The aim is to make walking and
cycling modes more convenient, attractive and a realistic
choice for many more short journeys, especially those to
work or school.
Being active is especially important to children and so a
great deal of emphasis from Central Government has been
placed on developing a child’s skills in order for them to walk
and cycle in safety and confi dence.
Children and young peoples plan
The Children Act 2004 set out the vision for the
future of children and young people. It envisaged the
integration and co-ordination of all services delivered
for children, young people and their families.
The ‘children and young peoples plan’ sets out the top
priorities for improvement, as set by the children and young
people’s strategic partnership (C&YPSP). Over the next few
years the individual organisations that make up the C&YPSP
will focus on 25 top priority areas and combine their efforts
to achieve the specifi c targets set for each priority.
Of great signifi cance to the cycling strategy is the priority
to encourage children and young people to adopt healthy
lifestyles. Two actions that have been outlined to help
achieve this priority are:
➔ Increase the proportion of children and young
people achieving at least two hours per week
physical activity to 85% by March 2008
➔ Ensure that 50% of schools achieve national
healthy school status with effective healthy eating
and physical activity policies and practice by 2007.
Actively promoting cycling to school and for leisure journeys
is one way in which this priority area can be achieved.
However it is vital that the infrastructure is in place to help
develop the necessary skills required for children to become
safe and confi dent cyclists.
School cycle training
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s cycle
proficiency training currently takes place in the last few
months of the summer term working within schools with
children over the age of 10 years, usually years five
and six.
The Capita road safety team, on behalf of the Council, coordinates
and delivers cycle training within the borough and
this is offered to local schools on a fi rst come fi rst served
basis as there currently isn’t the level of resources available
to service all schools.
The training takes place over three sessions. Session one
involves looking at cycle maintenance, general ability to ride
a bike within a safe environment (playground), signalling,
control of the bicycle and stopping safely.
Sessions 2 and 3 takes place over two consecutive half
days either am or pm sessions. In these sessions the team
look at the four main manoeuvres turning left and right out
of a minor road to a major road and turning left and right
from a major road to a minor road. Overtaking, positioning,
observation and safety in moving traffi c is also included.
These two sessions are generally undertaken on a local, risk
assessed, T-junction close to the school, unless the school
prefers playground sessions.
Through continual assessment from the road safety unit,
every child is assessed to see if they will pass the course.
The children are given certifi cates for their cycle workbook,
which is also part of the course, and their training. They are
also given cycling information leafl ets, cycle smart magazine
(produced by the Department for Transport) and a few other
goodies.
They are also warned that, though they have completed this
cycling course, they must continue to practice the skills they
have developed so as to become more confi dent cyclists in
the future.
Given the extremely young population of the borough
increasing the numbers of young people cycling is clearly
a key priority for the Council, therefore ensuring adequate
training and promotional facilities are available to schools is
of paramount importance.
30