Cycle Derby’s April 2008 Bike to School Week Challenge was a Huge Success

Derby schools celebrated National Bike to School Week between 28th April and 2nd May. Schools were challenged to take part and compete for the highest average level of cycling to school to win prizes for their school. The week was organised by the Cycle Derby project; Derby City Council-led National Cycling Demonstration Town initiative; one of only six in the country.

34 schools returned their photographs and daily cycle parking counts. The winner was the school with the highest percentage of cycling during the Challenge week.

Parkview Primary School cycled into first place with an average of 60% of pupils and teachers cycling to school and a total of 445 cycling trips during the week as the City’s winning school.

Mickleover Primary School claimed the 2nd prize with 49% of the school population cycling during the week and a total of 221 cycling trips.

The first prize winners were awarded £200 of sports equipment at a Cycle Roadshow from Cycle Magic. Second prize was £150 of sports equipment.

Prize draw winners, chosen randomly from all schools that submitted returns, are Cavendish Close Junior School and Boulton Primary School. Cavendish Close had 255 cycling trips during the week; Boulton Primary saw 13% of the school population cycling. Both schools were awarded £100 of sports equipment vouchers.

All children that took part have received a Cycle Derby blue badge to mark their achievements.

Of the schools taking part;

6 schools achieved over 30% average cycling levels
20 schools had an average of 10% cycling during the week
The average of all the schools that took part was 17% of the school population cycling across the week
The highest number of cycling trips for the week was achieved by Chellaston Junior School with 836 cycling trips in the week
 

Importantly, many schools are continuing to see high levels of daily cycling to school. For example, Borrowood Junior is now seeing 57 children cycling to school daily. Cycle Derby is monitoring cycling numbers to schools on a termly basis and are undertaking additional counts around Bike to School Weeks.

Sustainable ongoing cycling to school is the key aim of Bike to School Week promotions. Once parents and children have cycled to school for a week, or even a day, many hurdles have been overcome.  The key aim of the Cycle Derby project is to quadruple cycling to school by 2009, from our 2005 1% baseline. We promote cycling through training, education, events, rides and clubs.

Cycling to school also contributes to achieving physical activity for young people; the target of which is an hour of moderate activity each day. Recent reports have highlighted concerns with low physical activity levels for many of the City’s children. Cycling to school offers an easy way to incorporate fun activity into the daily routine.

Congratulations to all that took part and made the April 2008 Bike to School Week such a success.