Bourchier St Primary launches new bike safety program

By Kayla Jones

Jul 23, 2024

Students and helpers, including City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali, at the program launch. Photo by Megan Fisher. Photo by Megan Fisher

Hopes are high that Bourchier St Primary School’s newly launched bike safety program will see more students out and about, riding around the school yard and town.

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The ‘Bikes and Scooters Club’ has been funded through the Victorian Government’s Active Schools Grants program, with money from the grant being used to purchase bicycles for student use from Leading Edge Cycles.

The new club will run alongside the structured ball sports programs, bringing bikes to the school yard at recess and lunch times.

The school hopes the program will help get students engaged in a range of active outdoor activities, while promoting safe and fun travel to and from school.

As part of this, the program will teach students safe riding behaviours, road rules and how to ride in a shared environment.

City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali attended the school on Monday, July 22, to help officially launch the program, and said council was happy to support this initiative.

“We congratulate Bourchier St Primary School and Leading Edge Cycles on this fantastic initiative, which aims to get kids outdoors, being active and learning how to be safe on bikes and scooters,” he said.

“Council is supportive of any initiative like this which promotes healthy and active lifestyles in our young children and teaches them positive habits, which they can carry through life.”

Cr Sali said the program would make great use of the shared path network that ran across Greater Shepparton, allowing people to walk, run and cycle through the region.

“We now hope to see many students from Bourchier St Primary School utilising the shared paths with their families on weekends and getting outdoors to put their new bike and scooter skills to the test,” he said.

Former professional racing cyclist and Leading Edge Cycles co-owner Brett Lancaster also attended the launch, passing on his Olympic-level expertise to the students.