Persuading kids to switch to two-wheeled transport can not only improve their health, but also help congestion on our roads. Education reporter Haydn Lewis looks at a new resource pack available to schools ahead of Bike To School Week.

ANYONE who uses York's roads in the rush hour must have spotted the difference the Easter school holidays made to journey times.

Fewer cars on the roads doing the school run over the past fortnight has meant commuters getting to work more quickly and easily.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans wants to make more kids get on their bikes, thereby encouraging a healthier life style - and cutting traffic congestion.

They have developed a new pedal pack for parents and teachers, which is being launched in time for this year's Bike To School Week (April 23 to 27).

The free downloadable resource is aimed at helping parents and teachers to organise cycle-to-school events, to encourage children to take to two wheels and enjoy a green healthy and independent way of getting around.

New research shows that only 15 minutes of exercise a day can halve a child's risk of becoming obese.

Cycling to school can be a great way of building exercise into children's daily routine.

And with 20 per cent of traffic at 8.50am on a schoolday morning coming from the school run, it will also help to ease congestion.

Sustrans also claims children who cycle to school arrive more alert and ready to learn - more evidence that it really is better by bike.

The charity has drawn on ten years' experience of working with schools to create this information resource, full of tips and advice on how to get in gear organising a cycle to school day or week.

Paul Osborne, Sustrans' school travel director, said: "We know that although only one per cent of children currently cycle to school in the UK, 31 per cent would like to.

"Events, like those described in the pack, have been tried and tested with hundreds of pupils and parents at our Bike It schools, and we hope that this new information resource, launched in Bike To School Week, will help parents and teachers to make it possible for more children to cycle to their school."

Bike It is a nationwide scheme, managed by sustainable transport charity Sustrans, aiming to increase the number of young people cycling to school and on other journeys.

During last year's campaign in York, Bike It raised the average number of children cycling to school in York to ten per cent - five times the national average.

The Press reported that about 20 children from St Lawrence's Primary School, in Heslington Road, were given a special cycling pass after learning five key rules to staying safe in the saddle.

The youngsters required the pass, which was given out when they and their parent or guardian agreed to abide by the safe cycling scheme, in order to come to school on a bike during the following year.

Launching the campaign, deputy head teacher Helen Dumville said York Cycle Works sold helmets to the school at a promotional price, and the children, led by the school council, had a poster campaign.

Meanwhile, Sustrans and City of York Council encouraged youngsters across the city to get on their bikes over last year's school summer holidays.

They had a display at York's Central Library in Museum Street, and an inventive cycle trail taking in city ice cream parlours.

York Sustrans supporter Bev Chapman designed a huge display in the library foyer, based around a giant bike, with lots of information to help parents and children to get on their bikes.

* Teachers and parents wanting to download the free pack should visit www.sustrans.org.uk/pedalpack