Could you help make Kirkholt safer for cyclists?

Date published: 08/11/2006

Volunteers are needed on the Kirkholt estate to take part in a project to make cycling safer for cyclists of all ages.

The Council’s Road Safety Team has secured £15,000 to help pay for 10 volunteers to go on bike instructor and bike maintenance courses.

These are nationally recognised qualifications and they will equip the volunteers with new skills. The aim is then for the volunteers to hold weekly sessions so that they can pass these skills on to the estate’s cyclists.

The money will also pay for equipment such as bike stands and spare parts. Children of reception, year one and year two age will also be supplied with fluorescent belts so that they can be seen more easily when it is dark. It is hoped that their parents will follow suit and wear belts too.

The money has been provided by the Neighbourhood Road Safety Initiative, which is also funding a cycle track next to Sandbrook Community Primary School that children up to the age of 10 will be able to use.

When using it, they will be provided with cycle helmets so that they will be encouraged to wear them from an early age.

Children at Sandbrook Primary are also helping to design pavement plaques that will be used to designate safe routes to school, along with reminders to stop, look and listen when crossing roads.

Anyone wanting to volunteer to go on the courses should contact Jacqui Hogg, Road Safety Community Liaison Officer on (01706) 924654 or they can call in at the Kirkholt Drop-In centre on The Strand.