A 30-year drought of cyclist skills training in the Wellington region is set to end now that Greater Wellington Regional Council has won a grant from the Road Safety Trust.
The $211,000 grant will enable easy access to training from well-qualified instructors and help cyclists maintain good relationships with other road users.
The funding will be used to extend the Pedal Ready programme which currently offers cycle skills training for children in all schools throughout the region.
From next February, advanced training for school children and cycle skills training for adults will be available and will help build a culture of safer cycling within the region.
Melanie Thornton, the Regional Council’s Sustainable Transport Manager, says the training courses will be a great opportunity for adult cyclists to either refresh or learn new cycle skills so they can ride confidently, travel safer and get the most out of their cycle rides.
“It will help the thousands of cyclists who are discovering or returning to two wheels, after years of travelling by car.
“Over the last 30 years, very little cycle skills training has been available in the region. There are now thousands of adult cycle commuters in the region who have never received basic cycle skills training. This source of funding will enable the region to catch up and improve the safety of cyclists of all ages.”
Pedal Ready, a Kiwi Sport programme funded by Sport Wellington, is run by en Velo Urban Cycling Consultants and supported by Greater Wellington Regional Council.
More information about the cycle skills training courses is available at www.pedalready.org.nz
