Wednesday 20 January 2010

Cycling and schoolchildren

The main problem is that cycling is simply not a part of everyday life for young Britons. While the majority of children in some European countries ride to school, the figure here is 1% for primary school pupils and 2% of those in secondary schools. Even Cycling England agree this is "pathetic".

A good part of this is down to safety fears

Fears which are perfectly reasonable. That’s what Peter Walker plus the ideologues of the CTC don’t seem to be able to get into their noddles. The cycling environment is profoundly hostile to safe and convenient cycling, and simply repeating the parrot cry of “safety in numbers” will get us nowhere.

I suggested why cycling has declined at one local Waltham Forest school here.