Important bike skills were taught at a school in Hull’s Pickering Ward as part of the city’s active travel programme. The concept encourages more children to get into cycling and teaches them how to safely ride a bike.
Pupils at Rokeby Park Primary School learned vital skills to help them make their own way to school on two-wheels and was delivered with the assistance of several council-funded initiatives.
Delivered by Hull City Council’s cycle training provider, First Step Cycle, training was given to year six pupils at the school by fully qualified instructors with a passion for teaching children. The syllabus incorporated level one (biking away from traffic and off-road) and level two (biking on quiet roads with minimal traffic) training components.
(Image: Hull City Council)
In addition, a Bike Library was delivered by local charity, R-evolution, funded by the local ward budget. A Bike Library is an accessible scheme that sees bikes refurbished by an expert team of mechanics and volunteers from R-evolution. The workers are based in Hull, Cottingham and Scunthorpe.
In total, 40 refurbished children’s bikes were provided to the school on Wednesday, June 25 and each one found a new home with a local child. Students also received a new helmet from R-evolution to ensure that they can ride their bikes safely.
Humberside Police provided bike marking and each new bike was registered for free on the national register database. The security mark was placed alongside a warning label to deter thieves from stealing the bikes which if found, can be traced and returned to the original owner.
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said: “At Hull City Council, we believe schemes, such as Bikeability and Bike Libraries, are important as it allows us to be inclusive and enable children to develop the skills they need for the future.
“It makes sure kids don’t miss out when they don’t have bikes and it’s an investment in the future of cycling in the city.”
Fergal McCullough, the CEO of R-evolution, announced: “We are delighted to work with Hull City Council to encourage cycling within the city through the delivery of initiatives, such as our Bike Libraries.
“I find it exciting that children at Rokeby Park Primary School have been able to get a bike, that might not have otherwise been able to do so.”
Louis Kirk, business development director at First Step Cycle, said: “I believe it is important to teach children important life skills, such as riding a bike, as it enables them to be able to cycle with confidence from place to place, whether that be to and from school or for leisure.”
Sally Chaytor, school business manager at Rokeby Park Primary School, stated: “Bikeability training and the bike library initiatives are important as they are practical ways that our school can help students keep active, which is better for their physical and mental health and the students themselves are doing their bit for the environment by cycling to school.”
Cycling promotes exercise by providing a cardiovascular workout, strengthening muscles, and improving overall fitness. It’s a low-impact activity that can be enjoyed by people of all fitness levels, offering a fun and accessible way to stay active and improve health.
This summer’s activity follows on from last July when the route to the school, off Anlaby Park Road North, was upgraded by the council with a new parallel zebra crossing. This replaced the signalised pedestrian crossing to provide a safe and efficient way for pedestrians and cyclists to get around the area. A 20mph zone was also added along Sibelius Road, down to St Thomas More School, for extra safety.
Councillor Ieronimo added: “The new crossing has been well-received locally and enhances safety for all road users and promotes healthier travel, such as walking and cycling.”
“This project aligns with our broader Community Plan for Hull to create more inclusive neighbourhoods as well as make the city healthier, fairer and more environmentally friendly.”