The inclusion of cycling on the national curriculum is a good idea according to a recent study conducted by Halfords.
82% of the people questioned claim they would support a requirement on the National Curriculum that all children be taught to cycle competently, confidently and proficiently on the roads.
The YouGov cycle safety study also reveals that only 17% of those surveyed report that their child cycles to and from school, safety being the main reason for the low number.
67% of the study group believe that the Government should do more to promote cycling safety for children.
Emma Fox, Commercial Director at Halfords says: “Our state-of-the-nation report on cycling safely shows how vital the nation thinks cycling education is from a young age.
“We know how important is it to start these skill sets young and educate the next generation on cycling safely.
“Halfords new report shows that it’s not just parents who think more could be done to promote cycling safely with more than half (55 per cent) claiming the Government should give more attention and investment to cycle safety in general. Again, more than half (52 per cent), also think the local council should do more to promote cycle safety. In terms of elements that would encourage Brits to cycle more, dedicated cycle lanes (40 per cent) was the top choice, with more places to park and lock bikes the next most popular choice (30 per cent).”
Olympic cycling champions Chris Boardman MBE and Victoria Pendleton supported the survey results:
Chris Boardman MBE, Co-founder of Boardman Bikes and British Cycling Policy Advisor, says: ‘If you are eight or 80, the bicycle is simply a fantastic tool for getting around. More than 60% of people surveyed by British Cycling who don’t already cycle regularly said they would if they felt safer.
“So the government must invest in cycling infrastructure, to take back the streets, prioritising for people who choose not to travel by car, if we are to reap the fantastic benefits that this humble machine can unlock. Health, congestion, pollution, more liveable cites…whatever topic you want to choose, the bicycle can be a large part of the answer. In fact it’s the only form of mechanised transport that actually contributes to our society -the UK gains £590 a year for every extra regular cyclist.”
We all know that cycling has a whole host of benefits but do you agree that cycling should be included on the school curriculum or is that not the right approach? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. All ideas on how to encourage more people to ditch the car for the bike would also be greatly received.
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