srsc.org.uk

A 17 year old boy was killed in a car crash. He was driving down Strichen road, Fraserburgh at 6 am when he crashed into a wall and died instantly.

The police have reported that there was not any other car involved in the crash.

Cycling Scotland, the Government-funded charity is hoping to increase the proportion of pupils receiving on-road training from 27% to 40% by 2016. The lack of on-road experience is thought to be related to the low number of cycling among children, especially secondary school pupils.

Cycling round playgrounds and parks do not properly prepare children for riding on the road. You wouldn’t ask car drivers to drive round a car park then say, “are you ready to go on the road now?”.

The cycling proficiency scheme, introduced by the Government in 1958, is to be rebranded as Bikeability Scotland. Responsibility for taking over the initiative will be transferred from the SRSC to Cycling Scotland. The new syllabus will deliver three levels of cycle training to the pupils.

Level one will include basic cycle control skills and will be delivered in the playground. Level two will take them out of school, and covers turning left and right on roads and overtaking parked vehicles. The third level will include negotiating traffic lights, roundabouts and multi-lane roads. Another element will encourage children to sit down and plan their route, using quiet roads when possible, to encourage safe journeys to school.

Chris Hoy, the four-time Olympic cycling gold medallist, welcomed the charity, saying it was a fantastic way of encouraging children to get on their bikes.