EVERY child in York could have access to a bike thanks to a project launched ahead of the Tour de France’s visit to North Yorkshire.

The wheels are in motion to make York the only city in the UK where every child has access to a bike with the setting up of a new bike bank at the Sport Village at the University of York.

The project - set up by the university and City of York Council - was launched by the Director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, and will mean children in the city between the age of five and 12 will be able to borrow bikes for up to three months.

York and North Yorkshire will stage part of Le Grand Depart, the opening stages of the world-famous cycle race, next July.

Keith Morris, head of sport at the University of York, said: “The Tour de France coming to Yorkshire is a great opportunity to encourage children to get fit and active by taking up cycling.

“The new cycle circuit at York Sport Village is already proving popular with club cyclists.

“Now we want to target the grassroots level by getting more children involved.

“We have a small number of bikes available for immediate hire, but we would appeal to families across the city to make good use of unwanted bikes or bikes that children have outgrown and bring them to the York Sport Village. It’s a scheme that makes great use of an unwanted resource lying unused in many sheds and garages across the city while giving more children access to bikes.”

People are being encouraged to donate unwanted bikes which will then be serviced and repaired if needed before being made available to the public.

The bike bank will be open on Saturdays from 10am to noon for bike donations and collections.

Hire bikes must be booked in advance using an online booking form on the York Sport Village website, york-sport.com/york_sport_village or phoning 01904 325751.

Parents will be asked to confirm their child has completed cycling proficiency or Bikeability training and that their child will wear a helmet when using the hired bike.

The new one-kilometre cycle circuit at York Sport Village will be available for free use by children on Bike Bank bikes from noon to 1pm on Saturdays.