‘Pedal Ready’ cycling course open for entries

The Pedal Ready Level 1 Cycling Proficiency course will be held again this year and is open to children in school Year 6 and above.

The course will once again be offered as part of the GSLA 2024 summer programme, and will be held in the Bayside/Westside Playground on August 12 and 13, from 9am to 11am.

It is a two-hour course, and is mainly geared for Year 6 children and above, however, younger children who have minimum bicycle skills and can maintain balance may be accommodated.

The course offers preparation for real on-road cycling by teaching control of the bicycle in a controlled environment.

The session will include cycling skills, such as correctly mounting a bicycle, emergency braking, how bicycles work, and many more essential skills.

It will also touch upon traffic signs, the Highway code, including which side of the road they must ride on, and developing an understanding of spatial awareness.

Participants will also learn how to hand signal correctly, by having the confidence to lift a hand off the handle-bars, and emergency braking will also be taught.

They will have an understanding as to how a bicycle works, how to maintain it, knowledge of a brief safety check to carry out on a bicycle to be able to ensure it is safe to use, and how and when to change gears, if applicable.

At the end of the course, the children will be able to use the skills they have learnt in fun games, and a certificate will be awarded when the course ends.

Minister for Transport Dr John Cortes and Minister for Sports Leslie Bruzon both explained how pleased they were with the course, and how they wanted to encourage children to cycle safely by teaching them the skills necessary.

“This is one of the ways in which we want to encourage children to cycle and most importantly, to cycle safely,” Dr Cortes said.

Mr Bruzon added that the GSLA takes great pride in offering a diverse summer programme that includes a wide range of sports.

“As cycling rapidly becomes a staple form of transport, it is crucial to equip our youth with the necessary skills to cycle safely,” Mr Bruzon said.

To take part in the course, children must know how to ride a bicycle and attend with a suitable bicycle, which includes working brakes and pumped-up tyres. A helmet will also be required.

Parents of children wishing to participate must also sign a waiver before the course starts.

Those wishing to participate should email the Pedal Ready team directly at: PedalReady_GIB@hotmail.com