Article: Roads - safety - cycling and walking to school Article Body Road Safety - Cycling & Walking to School Cycling and walking to school is a safer, healthier and more environmentally sustainable way of travelling to school. This page gives details of some of the practical support that can be provided for Barnsley's schools to encourage cycling and walking. Cycle Training Barnsley Council currently offers cycle training which is offered to Years 5 & 6 in primary schools to give them the skills to be safe on the roads. This is delivered by Bikeability who are a multi-agency organisation which includes Barnsley Council, NHS Barnsley, Active Barnsley. Bikeability was established to provide cycle training to the new national standard. Bikeability offers cycle training for the 21st century. It provides appeal and incentive for pupils and parents alike to undertake quality cycle training to ride safely on today's roads. Cycle training is the vital life skill required before "more pupils cycling, more safely, more often" can become a reality and all the associated benefits of a new generation of young people cycling can be realised, including better health and fitness through cycling and less congestion for us all. Levels 1, 2 & 3 cycle training is offered and all pupils taking part in the training wear a cycle helmet and a high visibility vest. Please contact Active Barnsley(01226) 736644 or the Council (01226) 772655 for more information. Safe Routes to School Barnsley Council is working hard to install safe routes to schools where possible. Carlton Community College is one of the first schools in Barnsley to have established safe routes to school so pupils can cycle and walk to school safely. Many of the routes are located near the feeder primary schools who can also benefit from the routes. The Dearne Advanced Learning Centre is currently under development and we hope to see safe routes installed around the school in the near future. Benefits of Walking to School Walking is an easy and cost free way to travel to school. Travelling to school initiatives provides such readily achievable benefits. Walking to school (by walking bus or otherwise) allows a child to: • learn vital road safety and awareness skills • gain health benefits: Pupils who have walked arrive mentally more alert and ready to learn • interact socially with friends and parents • learn by observing things that are missed from the back seat of a car • at the school gate, safety is improved and congestion is reduced as fewer pupils arrive by car • parental time spent escorting pupils to school is reduced. Parents could take turns on a rota which allows them a number of free days each week. Walking Bus Schemes Some primary schools have walking bus schemes in operation. If you are interested please contact your local school for more information. Walking bus schemes operate where a group of pupils are accompanied by volunteer adults on their journey to and from school. Other terms used include virtual bus, walking train, crocodile and snake. Safety is clearly of the utmost importance. Each scheme deals with this issue in its own way, but every parent with a child involved must be satisfied with the safety aspects. The success of any walking bus is invariably due to the involvement, commitment and enthusiasm of the parents who volunteer to supervise its operation. Without this support it will be impossible to establish a walking bus. General Information For further information and/or advice please contact the council: • by email to travelplans@barnsley.gov.uk • by telephone on 01226 772655 • by writing to: Transportation Section, Strategy, Growth & Regeneration, Barnsley MBC, PO Box 604, Barnsley, S70 9FE Useful websites: www.barnsley.gov.uk/sustainableschooltravel www.barnsley.gov.uk/activetravel