Today (Tuesday, 5 May), councillors at the Highways and Transport Committee agreed to seek a new contract to deliver cycle training for children across the county.
This will ensure that thousands of children in Cambridgeshire will continue to benefit from high‑quality cycling skills and road safety education, through to 2029.
The decision allows the Council to appoint a training provider to deliver the Bikeability programme, for an initial term ending in March 2029, with options for extensions.
The programme will be funded through a confirmed three‑year grant from the Bikeability Trust, on behalf of Active Travel England (ATE), alongside the Council’s Local Transport Consolidation Settlement. This national funding forms part of the Government’s wider £108 million investment in active travel, supporting cycle training, walk‑to‑school initiatives and measures that help more people travel actively and safely.
Bikeability has been delivered in Cambridgeshire since 2007 and remains one of the Council’s most successful and high‑impact road safety and active travel programmes. Around 6,000 pupils are trained each year, around 80% of eligible children, placing Cambridgeshire consistently among the top 20 performing local authorities in England.
Research from the UK Transport Research Laboratory shows that areas with high levels of Bikeability training experience significantly fewer road accidents and casualties.
Additionally, the decision to renew the Bikeability contract underpins the Council’s new Strategic Framework and vision for the county; to support healthier, safer and more sustainable travel.
Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of the Highways and Transport Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Bikeability gives children skills they can use for life – it helps them travel actively and safely, as well as confidently. It encourages families to choose healthier and more sustainable ways of getting around and we’re extremely proud that Cambridgeshire is consistently one of the highest‑performing areas in the country for cycle training.
“The decision today to seek a new contract means we can continue to offer these benefits to young people, and supports our wider vision for a healthy, fair and sustainable Cambridgeshire. We also welcome the continued investment from Active Travel England that makes this possible.”
The renewed Bikeability contract forms a key part of the Council’s wider Active Travel programme, which includes investment in cycling infrastructure, behaviour‑change initiatives, school travel planning and community projects that encourage walking, wheeling and cycling.
As part of the procurement process, bidders will be a registered training provider who will deliver these Bikeability courses, they are expected to show they can deliver to the Bikeability Trust's national standard and required to show how they will support the Council’s net‑zero ambitions.
By securing Bikeability delivery through to 2029, the Council is ensuring continuity for schools, families and communities, while strengthening its commitment to safer roads, healthier lifestyles and a greener future.
Find out more about cycling in Cambridgeshire on our website.
The report discussed by the committee can also be found on our website and you can rewatch a recording of the meeting on our YouTube channel.
