Cycle Training in Leeds - Council Committee Report

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SPOKES, The Lothian Cycle Campaign


Report on Cycle Training for Leeds City Council Highways and Transportation Committee: 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT; 1.1 To make proposals for a programme of cycle training for 1998.; 2. BACKGROUND; 2.1 In 1997, a programme of one day cycle training courses was introduced following development work in 1996.; 2.2 The present child cycle training programme has been effectively implemented since 1994 and in 1997 consisted of the following parts:-; Cycle training for year 6 primary school children by a team of four trainers and a; co-ordinator.; Continued development of one day courses.; Development of courses for leisure centres and other groups.; 2.3 The cycle training programme:-; Consists of on-road training given by professional staff aided by volunteers.; Helps children develop practical cycling skills in a realistic environment.; Helps children understand safer cycling behaviour.; Provides an accurate report of their cycling ability for the child, parents and school.; Promotes cycling as a realistic practical form of transport.; 2.4 A full Health and Safety risk assessment is made for each training site and trainees are expected to wear a cycle helmet and flourescent jacket (both provided for the course).; 2.5 As reported to the Highways and Transportation Committee on 21 November 1997, 1626 children in Year 6 (age 11) and above were trained during the 1997 season. The training regime, both in schools and leisure centres, proved very popular and demand outstripped supply.; 2.6 The training team in 1997 created a training manual which can be used by future cycle trainers, and could be made available to those schools wishing to undertake their own training. It is expected that demand for cycle training in 1998 will be at least as great as in previous years, and encouraging schools to run their own courses should offer a limited opportunity to expand the scheme.; 2.7 In 1997 the training scheme was delivered within budget and generated some supportive income. Pupils in Leeds Education Authority Schools were charged £3 per head for their training, whilst pupils at Leeds Grammar School were charged £7 per head. No charge was made to pupils of Temple Moor High School, the Leeds City Council/SUSTRANS demonstration project school and similarly, no charge was made to a limited number of young people with special needs. In the light of modifications to the service and a charging strategy dating back some four years, the charge structure will need to be revised for 1998 and is detailed below.; 2.8 A report detailing cycle training in 1997, entitled 'Cycle Training 97 - A Report of Bicycle Training', is available in the Members' Library.; 3. PROPOSALS; 3.1 It is proposed to organise cycle training in the Leeds District using the same training model as in 1997.; 3.2 One cycle training co-ordinator and two cycle trainers be employed during the period March to September and two cycle trainers employed between March and July.; 3.3 Schools be encouraged to organise their own courses to expand the throughput of the scheme with training for schools volunteers available, at no cost, from the cycling team.; 3.4 Training charges be increased to £3.25 each for pupils of Leeds Education Authority Schools. Training charges be increased to £9 each for pupils of non Leeds Education Authority Schools to reflect a change in the training delivery from 1997. Free support continue to be given to Temple Moor High School for 1998 only.; 3.5 Limited development work be undertaken to assess the practicality of adult and family cycle training courses at no charge to participants. This may form part of supporting activities during National Bike Week (6-12 June 1998).; 3.6 Replace and increase the stock of cycle helmets and fluorescent tabards to cater for use by schools on courses they may organise themselves. Consider the purchase of a folding bicycle. On some occasions during 1997, due to sickness and a spate of thefts of the trainers' personal cycles, substitute trainers or cycles were needed at short notice and existing cycles available within the department are too difficult to be transported by bus or car to outlying venues.; 3.7 Issue the co-ordinator and each cycle trainer with a cycle helmet and fluorescent jacket to approved standards as Personal Protective Equipment under the Health And Safety At Work Act.; 4. WARD MEMBERS AND/OR OTHERS CONSULTED; 4.1 None.; 5. RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS; 6. SPECIFIC IMPLICATIONS FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES, WOMEN OR DISABLED PEOPLE'S GROUPS; 6.1 Ethnic Minorities:; There are no implications for ethnic minorities arising from this report.; 6.2 Women:; There are no implications for women arising from this report.; 6.3 Disabled People:; There are no implications for disabled people arising from this report.; 7. IMPLICATIONS FOR CORPORATE AND DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES; 7.1 Corporate; 7.1.1 Green Strategy:; The activity proposed in this report supports the Green Strategy objective 6.6.; 7.1.2 Mobility:; There are no implications for mobility policies arising from this report.; 7.1.3 Other Corporate Policies; 7.2 Departmental; 7.2.1 Transport Strategy:; The activity proposed in this report supports the Transport Strategy; 8. CONCLUSIONS; 8.1 The activity proposed in this report has established itself over a number of years as part of young peoples' essential road safety education. Not only should it give young people to cycle safely in the modern traffic environment, it should also help them to make informed choices about transport choices in the future. Cycle training may also help young people to form good attitudes and behaviour as road users in later life.; 8.2 Cycle training in 1997 trained many more children than in the previous year. It is hoped in 1998 to further extend the training provision within financial constraints similar to 1997.; 8.3 Experience has shown that there may be a suppressed demand for adult and family cycle training. In 1998 it is hoped to trial such training in a limited form to assess its viability in future years.; 9. RECOMMENDATIONS; 9.1 That the Committee instruct officers to implement a cycle training strategy in 1998 as detailed in this report that:-; a)delivers as many one day courses to primary schools as possible within funds; b)gives full training support to schools delivering their own training courses; c)gives full training support to schools developing cycling to school; d)delivers a summer holiday programme of one day courses in leisure centres; e)develops other training as appropriate


Leeds City Council Road Safety Unit (0113-247 5198)


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