Highland school pupils benefit from £74,000 boost from national cycling charity
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Almost 15 schools across the Highlands – among which Inverness and Ross-shire primaries – were part of a funding scheme to enhance cycling facilities and encourage active travel among pupils.
Cycling Scotland in partnership with Highland Council provided financial support to install covered cycle shelters in schools across the region.
The charity funded £74,000 to the Highland Council Road Safety Team, which was match-funded by the council to install six shelters at primary schools and four scooter pods.
Central and Hilton primary schools in Inverness were among the recepients of the funding, as well as Auldearn and Ardersier primary schools, Dingwall primary and Dingwall Academy.
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The bike parking means that pupils can safely lock their bikes during school hours, encouraging more young people to travel to by bike.
Emma Garden, Bikeability Scotland Co-ordinator in the Highland Council Road Safety Team said: “Being able to access the fund to match our Safer Routes to School funding has allowed the Highland Council Road Safety Team to provide more schools with a cycle shelter this past year. The shelters are used regularly by pupils cycling to school and taking part in Bikeability Scotland training, giving them safe, accessible storage while in school, and schools are already seeing an increase in the number of pupils cycling to school too, which is hugely positive”.
According to recent Sustrans and Transport Scotland surveys, cycling accounts for 6 per cent of all journeys in the region – the highest in the country. More than 7 per cent of Highland children normally cycle to school, the second highest rate in Scotland and
More than half of households in the region have access to one or more bikes, the third highest local authority, with 17 per cent adults usually or regularly cycling to work.
Katharine Brough, Head of Grant Funding & Partnerships, at Cycling Scotland, explains: “A bike is a treasured possession – in many cases, a present given for Christmas or a birthday – and can hold huge emotional as well as financial value. Secure bike parking makes it easier to cycle to school and provides reassurance that a bike will be safe throughout the day.
“Travelling to school is one of the earliest regular trips a child will take. Making it easier for parents, carers and young people to cycle not only helps them to connect home and school in a sustainable, affordable and enjoyable way, but can inspire positive travel behaviours that last a lifetime.
“There are many steps needed to support more children to cycle to school: secure and accessible bike parking is vital, as well as safer roads, a network of dedicated cycle paths and delivering Bikeability Scotland, the national cycle training programme for school children.”
Minister for active travel Patrick Harvie said: “I’m pleased that a further 60,000 pupils, right across the country, are now benefitting from improved cycling facilities and bike parking at school.
“Over the past year, more than £1 million from the Scottish Government has supported Cycling Scotland’s work to make it easier for young people to choose to cycle to school – storing their bikes in a safe and secure way.
“It’s one part of the revolution in active travel we are starting to see. Better facilities are of course important, but safer infrastructure and cycling lanes are paramount. That’s why the Scottish Government has committed to invest £320 million in active travel.”
