South Ayrshire Council News

The free bike checks proved very popular at Belmont Academy with students and employees of the school

In celebration of National Bike Week, and as part a pilot project being run by South Ayrshire Council’s Sustainable Development team, a bike clinic was held for the students and employees at Belmont Academy.

Members of the Sustainable Development team, a representative from Strathclyde Police and experts from the John Pollock Centre bike workshop were on hand to answer questions at Belmont Academy on safe cycling and bike security.

Employees and pupils at Belmont Academy were able to get their bikes checked and any minor faults corrected free of charge by representatives from the bike workshop at the John Pollock Centre. Two groups of P7 pupils, one from Doonfoot Primary School and one from Alloway Primary school will be moving to Belmont Academy at the beginning of the next academic year. The pupils were supervised as they cycled to their new school, and when they arrived had an opportunity to have their bicycles checked.

Councillor Peter Convery, the Council’s Portfolio Carrier for Sustainability and Environment issues said: “It is reassuring to know that so many pupils and employees at Belmont Academy can cycle to and from the school having had a safety check carried out on their bicycle. Cycling is a great form of exercise that people of all ages can enjoy, especially with the wide network of cycle paths that now exist in South Ayrshire.

“Encouraging people to cycle is an important part of the Council’s ‘up&go’ campaign that was launched earlier this year. It aims to encourage everyone to reduce their car journeys to work or school by cycling, walking or using public transport. If we all do this it will help us to reduce the Council’s impact on climate change.”

A number of pupils and employees at Belmont Academy had a chance to win a new cycling helmet that will help to keep them safe while on their bicycle. The helmets were kindly donated by Carillion, the company who are currently building the new Belmont Academy as part of the Council’s Public Private Partnership to improve the school estate.

During 2007 the Sustainable Development Team held a number of clinics in South Ayrshire, where members of the public could get safety checks carried out on the bicycle for free. These were such a success that the Team members are already making plans for further clinics later this year, which will be publicised once dates and locations have been confirmed.