In the 20 years up to 2006, the number of children cycling to school fell by 83% to just 4,000 nationally, according to census figures. The majority were – and still are – being transported to school in car by their parents. Over the same period there has been a remarkable increase in childhood obesity. Ireland’s Trinity College recently published a report, ‘Growing Up in Ireland’ which surveyed nine-year-olds and found that one in four is overweight, mainly because they don’t do enough physical exercise and are eating excessive quantities of junk food. Cycling to school, even over relatively short distances, is one way to counter the common sedentary lifestyle of watching television and playing computer games.

BIKE START is an integrated cycling training programme, which offers the highest level of training in Europe. The initiative being piloted in 21 primary schools in Dublin, shows what can be achieved by a well-focused programme at local level. In one school alone, it has already resulted in a five-fold increase in the number of children cycling: according to Councillor Andrew Montague, there were about 12 to 14 cycling to St Fiachra’s school in Beaumont [a suburb in North Dublin] before the course began. Afterwards, that figure went up to 110. Six months later there was a bit of a fall-off, but today about 60 to 70 kids cycle to and from the school.
If such an impressive leap of faith in the use of two-wheel, non-motorised transport could be replicated across the city, it would have a remarkable effect not just on the physical health of children but also on traffic levels.

The BIKE START programme is a four-module course taught at primary school during the school day. Each level provides different safety awareness and practical cycling skills targeted at the various age-groups:

As part of the learning programme, supporting material along with a new cycling training DVD will be distributed to primary schools in the city. In addition, cyclists, teachers and parents will be able to view sections of the new DVD on Dublin City Council’s website. As part of the BIKE START programme a specific adult safe cycling programme will also be offered to those returning to cycling. It is hoped that the BIKE START programme will give students the confidence to cycle to school and encourage more adults to cycle to work.

The programme will be rolled out by Dublin City Council’s Safe Cycling Team to primary schools starting from September 2009. In addition, Michael Byrne of the council’s traffic department has said that the City Council has provided a version to businesses after the high uptake of the tax incentive scheme for buying bicycles.

To support the scheme, the council is also taking action to make the city’s roads and overall conditions safer for cyclists. In April 2009, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey unveiled Ireland’s first National Cycle Policy Framework. Despite the economic downturn, a strong case can be made for investment in more widespread facilities for cyclists.

Dublin City Council - Roads and Traffic Department
Dublin
http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/Pages/Roads.aspx
Michael Byrne

15/07/2009

case

Urban Policy

Transport and infrastructure