Helping kids get on their bikes

West Lothian is continuing to back a local initiative based on a nationwide cycling to school project for youngsters .

The Council Executive approved a direct award to Sustrans of £59,217 for the implementation of the I Bike Project for 2018/19,

West Lothian Council already has funding through the Scottish Government’s Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) grant aid to allow the continuation of the I Bike project for a second year.

The programme will build on work already developed and continue initiatives undertaken during the first year of the programme.

The cost is funded fully by the SCSP grant and includes covering the salary of a liaison officer who works in schools.

The I Bike officer works with Education and Community Health Development’s Put Your West Foot Forward project to support and seek to increase walking, cycling and scooting activity, and promoting active travel journeys to schools

The effectiveness of the resource is assessed annually through the grant process.

The I Bike Report 2017 covered initiatives in 2015/2016 and shows the project is achieving its aims to get more pupils travelling actively, with a 2.4 per cent increase in pupils travelling to school by an active mode, a 9.5 per cent increase in pupils sometimes cycling to school, and a two per cent decrease in pupils travelling to school by car.