Councillor Kay’s Blog: Time to get on your bike
Lifestyle / Mon 23rd Sep 2024 at 07:00am
TO feel the breeze on your face, your hair rippling artistically behind you …. Can you ride a bike? Did an adult run behind holding you up until you could balance or did you crash into stationary objects until you could stay aloft? It can take a painful while, whatever method is used, but that early confidence-building phase is essential if the cyclist is to pedal out into the world.
Essex County Council allocated £800,000 (provided by Bikeability Trust UK) last year to help Essex youngsters get on their bikes. The programme encourages children to acquire the skills needed for safety, while making a green, healthy travel choice.
One of Harlow’s councillors, Jake Shepherd, is a cycling devotee who undertakes mind-boggling distances with aplomb. He would agree, though, that fledgling bikers need confidence and balance before joining a Bikeability class.
Advised by one who knows, I’ve looked at Hertford and Ware’s approach. There, if a child is under 4.5 years or has previously used stabilisers or is new to cycling, a pedal-ready assessment is offered to determine the appropriate approach. Advice is also given on a suitable bike.
Slightly further away, Wee Wobblers (for 2.5-year-olds and above) in Fife learn first on balance bikes, practising how to balance without assistance, described as ‘the keystone of successfully riding a bike.’ They learn how to steer and propel the bicycle, how to use brakes, how to glide with ease. They have fun in a safe, structured way before tackling the next stage.
This transitional strategy helps children progress safely. We need it here. If Ware and Fife (to name only two) can do it, we have to find a way of delivering the model here in Harlow; otherwise, our young people are disadvantaged. Think of the benefits to the planet, to health and fitness, to independence. Lycra isn’t essential!
Nostradamus
2024-09-23 19:19:46
Would be nice to have a modern joined up Dutch style cycle track system and build on the cycling, walking and public transport system upon which Sir Frederick Gibberd designed.
Paul
2024-09-24 00:43:15
Nostradamus - would be a good start if cyclists bothered to use the cycle paths in existence first instead of the irresponsible cycling on the roads. Edinburgh Way, Elizabeth Way and Southern Way cycle paths are ignored by cyclists and have been a waste of money.
Nostradamus
2024-09-26 16:18:23
Paul, most cycle tracks are on out of date routes and many end putting cyclists on to the roads. New direct routes are needed to key points including schools and the whole system needs to be joined up in an unbroken safe manner. Secure parking is needed especially at hatches, the town centre, PAH and stations. If all children could travel completely safely to school by bicycle then most of the morning term time congestion would be radically reduced if not eliminated. Free Parking and low cost ride at points around the perimeter of the town would also reduce the high numbers of commuter cars from outside of the town adding to the problem. Where this kind of strategy has been employed in towns across Europe and it's had the effect increasing trade in town centres and reducing pollution, Win win.
Colleen Morrison
2024-10-06 22:37:33
I was one of generations of Harlow children who were fortunate to be trained to ride bicycles safely by ROSPA, The Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents. Training took place in school playgrounds after school. Receiving ROSPA training to certificate level was a condition of school children being allowed to ride their bikes to school. All levels of experience, or lack of experience, were covered by the excellent training that we received. I still have my certificate. Bicycles are great for exercise and for traffic reduction, however, they aren't a perfect solution to traffic, since they're an impractical form of travel in Winter and they aren't really safe when rain is bucketing down. Also, many adults rely on vehicles: to do their jobs, to take children to and from school, who might otherwise not turn up at school, in particular during Winter, other drivers need their vehicles to enable them to shop on the way home from work. And a proportion of adults and children rely on cars because have conditions which prevent them from riding bikes. Dependence on vehicles is key part of modern life for many of us. One of the problems in Harlow is that the M11 motorway is on the wrong side of the town and too much traffic therefore has to pass through Harlow to reach the motoway. It was for this reason that Harlow's Master Planner, Sir Freddie Gibberd, opposed the proposed location of the M11, stating that this would necessitate too much traffic passing through Harlow, which he stated would be monstrous. That's why I campaigned with Harlow Civic Society for a traffic Bypass for Harlow. At a meeting with the then leader of Essex County Council, he assured Harlow that we will eventually have a bypass, the only question is when.
Colleen Morrison
2024-10-06 23:05:02
Apologies regarding my above post, this should have stated that Sir Freddie Gibberd said that to necessitate motorway traffic passing through Harlow would be monstrous.
Colleen Morrison
2024-10-06 23:17:46
Apologies, regarding the above post, this should have stated that necessitating motorway traffic passing through Harlow would be monstrous.
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