More than 300,000 school children will learn to cycle safely, competently and confidently on the road over the next year, thanks to nearly £11m worth of government funding allocated today, Norman Baker has announced.

Funding has been allocated to local highway authorities and schools across the country for the national Bikeability scheme which provides cycling proficiency for the 21st century.

As well as the £11m of grants agreed for this year, a further £24m will be allocated by the Department for Transport over the following two years. This includes an extra £2m to support expansion on top of money originally earmarked for Bikeability. Additional local contributions worth around £11.5m are expected over the next three years.

Local Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “Cycling brings many benefits, and as a government we are keen to encourage its uptake as a healthy and sustainable transport choice, which eases congestion and helps cut carbon. It is vital that the next generation of cyclists is well prepared with the skills and confidence to ride safely and well on modern roads and this funding ensures that many more thousands of children will receive the solid grounding to set them up as lifelong cyclists.”

Bikeability courses are available from a number of providers across the South West – check the Bikeability website to find one near you. Several local authorities also deliver Bikeability training, including Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol.