More 'bike bus' schemes should be created to help promote active travel across Glasgow, the city's Green councillors have said.
A motion has been tabled by councillor Holly Bruce asking council officers to consider what resources could be provided to allow children access to bikes and safety equipment while working with Glasgow Life to coordinate bike bus activity.
A bike bus, also known as a bike train or a cycle train, or cycle bus is a group of people who cycle together on a set route following a set timetable other than for sporting purposes.
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It can also allow children to commute to and from school safely.
The motion reads: “Council reiterates its support in the active travel strategy for more school-age children to walk, wheel and cycle, and recalls its ambition to increase the number of walking or bike buses across Glasgow.
“Council notes there are now regular bike buses, which offer pupils a safe way to travel to school as part of a group, at Shawlands, Ibrox, Merrylee, St Fillan's and Hillhead primary schools. Council offers thanks to all the parent volunteers involved in setting up and running these bike buses and to Council and Police Scotland officers who have provided important support.”
In her motion councillor Bruce also points out that by promoting bike buses, the local authority will be able to encourage more active travel so that it becomes the norm and helps Glasgow meet its net zero emissions target.
It is also a way of providing a fun and healthy way to get to school and allows the council to reaffirm the importance of the city network in providing safe cycling access to all schools in the city.
She also wants the council to congratulate members of the Shawlands Bike Bus on attending the first international bike bus summit in Barcelona.
The summit signed a joint statement called the Barcelona Declaration that presented the case for safer cycling to school.
The motion continues “Council believes that there is an opportunity to use the momentum generated by the new bike buses, aligned to the UCI World Championships taking place in 2023, to substantially increase the number of bike buses in the city, with the aim of having at least one in each of the 23 council wards.”
If successful the Executive Directors of NRS (Neighbourhoods Regeneration and Sustainability) and Education Services to bring forward a paper on how this motion can be supported.
Officers will also write to all primary schools and parent councils to make them aware of support available and encourage them to explore setting up a bike bus.
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