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Manchester schools given another £1m to increase cyclingChildren cycling (picture credit pressedienst fahrrad)

Manchester schools given another £1m to increase cycling

Cycle parking, improved routes and training are being given to another ten Manchester schools and colleges to get more people commuting by bike
by Laura Laker
Mon, Mar 21, 2016 10:33
3

£1m funding was announced for cycle facilities at ten of Manchester’s schools and colleges, to get more students, teachers and parents on bikes.

Manchester Communication Academy last week celebrated the launch of new cycling facilities, one of 11 schools and colleges across Greater Manchester already sharing an earlier £1m fund. The Academy now has a mountain bike pump track, more than 100 upgraded, covered bike parking spaces and 30 bikes and helmets for students.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM’s) Cycle Schools and Colleges fund has so far paid for more than 1,000 bike parking spaces at schools and colleges, and more than 350 bikes for training, after school clubs and student taster sessions.

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Councillor Chris Paul, TfGM Committee Cycling Champion, said: “We want to see a cultural shift towards cycling and young people have a key role to play.

“Our work with schools and colleges is really driving home the message that cycling is great fun, great for the family budget and good for Greater Manchester as a whole.

“We aim to see 10% of all journeys in the region made by bike by 2025 – reducing congestion and improving our environment. I’m sure the young people we’re working with right now will play a big part in helping us achieving that.

Martin Roberts, Assistant Principal – Community, Manchester Communication Academy, said: “It’s said that cycling helps to improve your concentration, health, happiness and fitness. What more could we want for our students and community than this opportunity which has been made possible through the Cycle Schools and Colleges project?

“It will be great to see the students benefiting from the new facilities and cycling training at our after school clubs, teaching them new skills and encouraging them to get out on their bikes.”

The Cycle Schools and Colleges project is part of the £42 million Cycle City programme led by TfGM with Department for Transport funding, which will see new and improved cycle routes introduced across Manchester.

As part of the Cycle City programme, adult cycle training is provided, and accreditation introduced for HGV drivers completing Safer Urban Driving courses. 

Transport for Greater Manchester
Manchester
cycling to school
Laura Laker

Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.

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3 comments

Avatar
congokid | 8 years ago
2 likes

Quote:

a mountain bike pump track, more than 100 upgraded, covered bike parking spaces and 30 bikes and helmets for students ... 1,000 bike parking spaces at schools and colleges, and more than 350 bikes for training, after school clubs and student taster sessions

But nothing that makes the actual journey any safer or more attractive to those who don't already cycle regularly. Just bike parking, helmets, more education and the usual hot air about the benefits that everyone already knows. Good luck with that.

Avatar
Manchestercyclist | 8 years ago
3 likes

I wish Manchester council would finally understand that this will mean nothing without safe routes.

I tried to go down the flagship route of oxford road yesterday to find cars parked on the 'cycle lane' at least four times in just half a mile. Where is the enforcement?

My kids are confident cyclist and will ride on the road most places but the route to school is mae far too dangerous by the dozens of parents dropping kids off (all within a catchment are of 1/3 of a mile). They need to have drop off spaces like a taxi rank, three ata time and no where else to make the other streets safe, until then it's always going to be considered far too dangerous to let kids cycle to school.

Avatar
CygnusX1 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Good news, which are the other schools?

I wish my school had a pump track when I were a lad, kids today don't know they're born (stopping now before I descend into the python 4 yorkshiremen sketch)

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