Bike It Increasing cycling to school

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Bike It Increasing cycling to school
Paul OsborneSchool Travel Director,
SustransMay 2009
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our vision a world in which people choose to
travel in ways that benefit their health and the
environment
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our mission to work everyday
on practical and imaginative
solutions to the transport
challenges affecting us all
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Content of presentation

• Background
• What is Bike It?
• Monitoring and research
• Latest results
• Future research
• What have we learned?

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How British children travel to school of trips
All children aged 5 - 16
Age 11 - 16
Age 5 -10
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National Travel Survey, 2006
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How this has changed over the years of trips,
all children aged 5-16
1986
1992
1996
1999
2002
2004
2006
National Travel Survey
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Nearly 60 of school car journeys are within the
statutory walking distance (under 2 or 3 miles)
National Travel Survey, 2006
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Huge unmet demand for cycling amongst young people
A recent Sustrans survey of 20,000 schoolchildren
found that half (49) want to cycle to school -
And yet the National Travel Survey shows that
only 2 of trips to school are by bike
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Bike It works directly with schools to increase
levels of cycling

• Bike It is funded by
• The cycle industry (Bike Hub)
• Cycling England (Dept for Transport)
• Big Lottery
• Welsh Government
• Transport for London
• Local government
• Local Health authorities

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In 2009 Bike It will work in the following
locations
There are 42 staff working in nearly 500 schools,
giving cycling opportunities to over 90,000
children
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Each Bike It Officer works in 12 schools per year
Key activities include Explaining the benefits
of cycling Contributing to classroom
work Addressing concerns about safety and
liability Sharing good practice Organising
practical and fun cycling activities
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Publicity at Derby Moor Secondary School
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Monitoring and research
Classroom surveys (19,000 children) Counts of
parked bicycles Activity logs (bike maintenance,
cycle training, cycle to school days,
etc) Surveys of headteachers and mobility
managers Health research
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Monitoring and research
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Monitoring and research
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Feedback from Schools

• 97 of schools believe that cycling has
  increased, 70 believe that car use has fallen
• Support from Sustrans staff has been the critical
  success factor
• In particular, Bike It supports school travel
  plans, increases physical activity and organises
  popular activities for children and parents
• 94 of schools say that their children are more
  physically active as a result of Bike It

Headteacher and School Champion survey, Summer
2008.
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Increase in frequency of children cycling to
school at Bike It schools 2007-08
of pupils
Source Sustrans 2008Note Data based on
hands-up surveys of around 19,000 pupils, asking
the question Do you cycle to school?
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Health Research

• Body mass index (BMI)
• Waist circumference
• Self reported physical activity
• Sedentary behaviour
• Cardiorespiratory fitness
• Muscular power (vertical jump)

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Health findings
Those who cycle to school also cycle more in
general Higher reported physical activity amongst
cyclists than other modes Lower levels of
sedentary behaviour Behavioural changes may
precede physiological changes
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Future research
Reduction in car use and CO2 tracking change of
travel mode amongst individual children Health
impact - longitudinal surveys, before and after
Bike It Sustainability is an increase in
cycling maintained at schools after the Bike It
officer moves on?
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What have we learned from Bike It?
Infrastructure projects rarely work on their own.
Promotional activities which promote walking and
cycling should be built into the work programme.
Teachers need to be supported by individuals with
a passion for walking and cycling, who have the
skills to attract participants, run events and
who lead by example.
Events and activities should have an emphasis on
fun and participation (rather than just safety).
Work with the willing and invite leader
schools to present their successes and failures
to others.
Use a variety of survey methods at regular
intervals.
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More Information
www.sustrans.org.uk/bikeit
paul.osborne_at_sustrans.org.uk