Pupils saddle up for cycling initiative

Dunbar Primary School held its last training session of the year recently, with parent volunteers taking on the task of coaching the next generation of cyclists.

In the recent Walk to School Week campaign out of the 893 Dunbar pupils surveyed, 409 travelled by bike or scooter.

Headteacher Helen Gillanders said: “The school has been promoting and supporting cycling for a number of years and each year the pupils are offered cycle or Bikeability training, as it is now called.

“The training is led by the active school coordinator who then trains the trainers – usually teachers and parent volunteers – who in turn train the pupils.”

The way children travel to school has an impact on their safety, health and personal development, and also a beneficial effect on the environment, and the Scottish Government has given East Lothian Council powers to develop safer routes to schools and travel plans which promote safer, healthier ways to travel to school.