News article
All aboard the bicycle bus
Does your child attend St Joseph’s Catholic primary school, Briar Hill infant school or St Margaret’s C of E junior school?
Do you remember when you used to cycle to school?
Do you want your child to be more active?
Do you drive your child less than 3 miles to school?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions then read on…!
Simon Storey has a Daughter who attends St Margaret’s school, and he is also a British Cycling accredited coach at Stratford juniors cycling club. He believes cycling to school should be an option open to everyone so he has created a free ‘Bicycle bus’.
What is a bicycle bus?
A bicycle bus is when a lead cyclist picks up children and parents along a planned route at predetermined points and the group cycles to school together.
Simon’s Bicycle bus starts from Heathcote Park, with pick up points through Warwick Gates continuing into Whitnash servicing the 3 schools mentioned above.
Why should you get involved?
There are a number of benefits of cycling to school:
- Cycling to school can help to increase the way a child performs. As a morning exercise, it gives a quick boost of energy and the subsequent release of endorphins will leave your child feeling great, energised and ready to learn.
- It is recommended that children get a total of 1 hours exercise a day. Currently only 60% of boys and 40% of girls are achieving this. By cycling to school your child will increase their daily exercise by an incredible amount.
- Cycling to school helps improve fitness and mental well-being.
- Cycling to school is good for the environment. The more children that cycle to school means there are less traffic on the roads, this will help improve air quality for everyone. It will also help to reduce congestion around schools improving safety and that everlasting problem of parking which can be dangerous and inconsiderate.
Let this new school year be the start of something great that brings the community together to improve, health, fitness and the environment. Anything is possible, it just needs a little change, you can make that change.
Want to get involved?
Interest levels will determine how regular the bicycle bus will run so please show
Find out more at www.thebicyclebus.co.uk, visit the Facebook page and come along to an information meeting at the Othello Avenue play area in Warwick Gates on Sunday 13th September at 2pm. Bring a chair if you wish.
We are also looking for volunteers and businesses to join the bicycle bus, if this is of interest to you please contact me via the website and Facebook page.
What next for the scheme?
The government have very recently announced plans to improve cycling infrastructure as part of the ‘active travel scheme’ to help boost the nation’s health and Simon is in discussions with local and county councillors about accessing these funds to improve the route that the bicycle bus will be taking. Hopefully this will help build on the current statistic of nationally just 3% of children who cycle to school.