Celebrating Students’ Cycling Skills

Students from The Bridge School celebrated a major milestone in their adaptive cycling journey as they took part in their fourth and final session at the Bike Hub in Telford Town Park.

This special event marked the culmination of their training but also saw the students receive their Bikeability Level 1 certificates – a significant achievement demonstrating their newfound cycling confidence and skills.

The students have been training on Telford & Wrekin Council’s fleet of new adaptive bikes, which were funded in July last year by the council in collaboration with Sport England.

Councillor Ollie Vickers, (Lab) Cabinet Member for the Economy said: “We’re so proud of the students’ journey, they fully deserve their certificates and hope they enjoy their newfound freedom.

“Our active travel plans aim to make walking, cycling and other sustainable transport options a priority for all residents and this initiative shows how we are delivering on this.  

“Cycling is a fantastic way to stay active and explore our local green spaces – especially in and around the town park. We are committed to doing everything we can to positively promote equality, diversity and inclusion across the borough and by providing these new adaptive bikes we are making biking more accessible and ensuring that more residents can participate and thrive.”

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment and Skills, said:

“Congratulations to all the students from the Bridge School who achieved their Bikeability qualification today. It was great to see their training in progress and how much fun they were having.

“Learning to ride a bike is one of the core activities within our 10 by 10 programme, which sets out ten things to do by the age of ten, which we believe are crucial in helping children to develop essential life skills and broaden their horizons.

“I’m so pleased that through the bike hub we can make cycling accessible for all children and young people across the Borough.

“We are committed to working with schools, community organisations, and families to make more and more opportunities accessible to all.”

This unique collection of adaptive cycles includes trikes, tandems, a wheelchair loader, and bikes with varying levels of assistance – ranging from hand cycles to carer-controlled functions. The innovative designs aim to accommodate young people and adults who find traditional bicycles challenging, offering a more inclusive approach to cycling.

The new adaptive bikes form a core part of the council’s Bikeability lessons, ensuring these training sessions are accessible to all. This inclusivity also supports the council’s 10 by 10 initiative, encouraging children to develop key skills and enjoy diverse activities.

Following the success of these sessions, the adaptive bikes will be available for public hire during the school holidays, from Monday to Friday, at the Bike Hub in Telford Town Park.

Stay tuned for additional specific sessions and exciting announcements to come by following @TravelTelford on Facebook.

Details regarding opening hours and accessible parking are available at www.telford.gov.uk/adaptivebikes.

Pic: Telford & Wrekin Council