The UK ’s leading sustainable transport charity, Sustrans is set to launch the highly acclaimed Bike It project across Cheshunt . Around 1500 pupils from five schools across the borough will be encouraged to saddle up as they welcome their new Bike It Officer, Bart Smith. This unique project works with over 400 schools across England and Wales to encourage children and young people to choose two wheels instead of four for the school journey.
Bart will be working directly with pupils, parents and staff to help them overcome whatever it is that is preventing them from cycling to school – by organising cycle training, helping to install new bike sheds, contributing to classroom work and providing information about safe routes to schools.
Sustrans Bike It Officer, Bart Smith said: “It is great to be involved with a groundbreaking project such as Bike It. The enthusiasm of the staff and pupils at all the schools I am working with has been tremendous and I am sure we can work together to treble cycling levels over the coming years.
“Cycling to school has so many benefits for pupils such as improved health, confidence and concentration as well as the obvious benefits for the environment in which they will grow up in. We know from our research that 47% of children would like to cycle to school when only 2% currently do - there’s an enormous potential for increasing cycling levels across the borough.”
Stuart Pile, Hertfordshire County Council's Executive Member for Highways, Transport and Rural Affairs, said: "Hertfordshire County Council is pleased to be working with Sustrans on this new Bike it project as it will encourage healthier, greener and safer journeys to school. Our work with Sustrans on the first Hertfordshire Bike it in St Albans has resulted in more young people using their bikes to get to school and we hope the same will be true in Cheshunt."
Bike It is a nationwide scheme, managed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans. Nationally the project is funded by Cycling England, and the cycle industry through the Bike Hub, locally Bike It is supported by Hertfordshire County Council.
Staff, parents and teachers who are interested in promoting cycling and walking in their school are encouraged to call the Sustrans School Travel Team on 0117 915 0100 for free information and advice.
Source: Sustrans
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Sustrans aims to treble cycling across schools in Cheshunt
