Agenda item

Clare Robinson, the Council’s ‘Bike-it’ Officer gave a presentation to the Forum to provide an update on recent work that had been done in the area of cycle training.  She advised that she had been in post for two years and her post was shared between South Bucks and Slough BC.  She currently worked with 18 schools and funding would continue for another two years.  Savio DeCruz discussed the bikeability scheme and advised three years previously SBC had conducted cycle awareness training.  There was however a low uptake and parents were not willing to volunteer to assist running the scheme, and Slough BC could no longer fund the scheme.  The council had bid for funding for bikeability in 1998 and was allowed £10,000.  This allowed the Council to deliver 250 training spaces for children.  It was noted that children were taken out onto local roads.  In 2009 the Council applied for a £15,000 grant and this was provided, allowing for 375 children to benefit from training.  The scheme was open to schools, children who were home schooled and  scouts.  In the current year there were only 37 spaces left out of the 375 available. 

In the ensuing debate, Members raised a number of questions/comments as follows:-

• A Member suggested that SBC should examine the location of Montem School, Chalvey Grove, because he felt that this was dangerous for cyclists due to the hazardous parking in the area.  Clare Robinson advised that she would discuss this with the staff member who devised the Council’s Travel Plan.
• A Member asked whether there was any funding available for adult cycle training and was advised that there was no funding at present and also that such training was very complex.
• A Member was concerned about the number of children who did not own a cycle and asked what could be done to enable such children to have cycle training.  Clare Robinson advised that there had been some discussion about the use of cycles that were left over at the police station but these were often auctioned or passed on to other groups.  She advised that she was unaware of any national schemes to provide cycles for children.