Lincolnshire schools celebrate Cycle to School Week with activities to boost active travel
Students are encouraged to swap four wheels for two on their journey to school
Cycle to School Week is in full swing across Lincolnshire, with schools, pupils, and families embracing the benefits of active travel and ditching the car.
So far this week, there's been a 50% increase in kids cycling and scooting to school since September 16,000 active travel journeys have been logged in schools.
The national campaign aims to promote cycling, scooting, and walking to school, highlighting activities like "Bling Your Bike Day" and providing free bike-marking sessions to enhance security and accessibility.
Dom Fieldhouse-Grey, Active Travel Officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "We're encouraging people to jump on their bikes, get their scooters our and change the way they travel to school".
Schools participating in "Bling Your Bike Day" are encouraging creativity among pupils, with bikes decorated in various themes, hoping for prizes like Halfords vouchers judged by travel plan officers.
The scheme is also offering free bike marking sessions add an extra layer of protection in case bikes get stolen. Dom explained: "We're out at a couple of primary schools marking their bikes up. They go on to the National Security Database, so the Lincolnshire Police have access to that."
Cycle to School Week also highlights the success of Bikeability training in Lincolnshire, with 5,488 students completing training in the past academic year. The programme continues to offer safety and confidence lessons for young cyclists.
The goal is long-lasting positive change, Dom said: "We're trying to encourage as many people as possible to maybe change their habits. The hope is more people will register for Bikeability training as well."
Councillors from Lincolnshire County Council emphasise the wider impact, noting that active travel reduces congestion, creates healthier daily routines, and contributes to environmental sustainability.
There's not only physical and mental benefits to ditching the car, but also environmental impacts. Dom added: " We're quite lucky in the county. We've got loads of green space and good air quality, but every little helps.
"If we can change the way in which one person travels to school, it's one less car on the road. And then that just makes multiple benefits like health, societal and environmental as well".
Cycle to School Week is poised to inspire continued active travel across Lincolnshire, raising awareness and engaging pupils, parents, and educators in a transformative initiative that promotes safer travel and healthier lifestyles.