Bike It Introduction
The Bike It project works directly with schools making the case for cycling in their school travel plans, supporting school champions who want to promote cycling and demonstrating that cycling is a popular choice for children to get to school. The project adds to local investment in cycle routes and bike sheds by involving children, teachers and parents and enabling them to take the small steps that are necessary to make a real difference.
Sustrans – Bike It Project
Sustrans (UK's Leading Sustainable Transport Charity) and Coventry City Council have formed a partnership to promote cycling to schools in Coventry and have appointed George Matthew as a full time Bike It Officer to work with Coventry City Council's Sustainable Transport Team.
The Bike It project supplements a school's School Travel Plan by raising awareness of more sustainable means of travelling to school such as cycling. To find out more information on School Travel Plans and any related issues, visit the Schools section.
Where can I find more information about the Bike It project?
If you're interested in the Bike It Project and would like to find out more information, check out the 'What is the Bike It Project?' Page or visit the Sustrans (new window) website and click on 'Bike It!'
How can a School join the Bike It Project?
Check the 'Selected Schools' page to see if your school has been selected.
Get in touch with the Bike It Officer, George Matthew, to arrange a meeting to discuss the possibility of a school joining the project.
How can a School join Bikeability?
Check out the Cycle Training page for more information on Bikeability schemes run by Coventry City Council.
How do the Bike It Project and Bikeability work Together?
The Bike It Officer engages with 12 primary schools each academic year to explain the benefits of cycling as a healthy sustainable mode of transport and promote cycling as fun and healthy exercise. Bikeability then teaches year 5 and 6 children the necessary skills to enable them to cycle safely on the road. The Bike It Officer will then arrange bike rides so children can put what they have learnt into practice and family rides to encourage parents to continue the process through into secondary school.
How do I get involved in the Bike It Project?
Parents, Teachers and Assistants can help enormously by contributing to the Bike It project. If your school has been selected for the Bike It project, you can become their school champion. To become a school champion, Sustrans offer a school champion training course. To find out more visit the 'School Champion' page.
If you do not wish to become the 'School Champion' you can still make an impact on the Bike It project by helping with events, organising promotions of the project and encouraging your children as well as friend's or relative's children to cycle to school.
If your school has not been selected, you can still help promote cycling within your school by encouraging the school to partake in Cycle Training if they do not already do so, and organise events and promotions that help increase cycling levels.
How can my child get involved in the Bike It Project?
They can join the Bike It Crew! When the Bike It Officer sets himself up in your school he will set up a Bike It Crew whom help with day to day tasks such as bicycle storage counts, newsletters and up-dating the school's notice board.
Get them to cycle to school! Even if your school is not selected for the Bike It Project this year, getting them to cycle to school may be a good way to promote the possibility of your school being selected next year.
If you need any advice on how to get your children to promote the Bike It Project in their school, contact the Bike It Project Officer, George Matthew.
Contact Details:
George Matthew,Bike It Officer,
Sustrans,
Floor 6, Civic Centre 4,
Much Park Street,
Coventry,
CV1 2PY
Tel: 024 7683 2041Mob: 079 9980 1262
Fax: 024 7683 2656
e-mail: george.matthew@sustrans.org.uk
