Bike Ban at Boxmoor School                                       Report by Martin Humphrey.

Bicycles are not allowed on the School premises at Boxmoor Primary School, Headmaster Neill Patterson has told me. Apparently this was a unanimous decision at the Governors meeting on 29th June 1999. It seems extraordinary that a school does not have a cycle rack, as this was a standard feature when I went to school. Cycling is a healthy and environmentally friendly method of transport and helps to teach traffic awareness and road sense.

Apparently this is a problem in Essex as well. I reproduce a letter to the Basildon Yellow Advertiser of 2nd July headed "School bike ban needs re-think":

I am writing regarding an article in the Yellow Advertiser recently called "Bike ban slated".

Mr Andy White the Headteacher of Woodlands School has banned bikes at the school.

Mr White claims that he has nowhere to put them. I find this astonishing, with the many acres of land at the school, that no bike sheds or proper storage areas for bikes can be provided, especially when you consider nearly every school in the country can provide bike storage areas.

Secondly, if Mr White was so concerned about theft and damage of bikes- why did he not allow his pupils to lock their bikes?

It's clear to me that Mr White is desperately clawing for excuses not to have bikes at school. He gives me the impression he has a pet dislike of cycles.

He may argue that he does not have the funds to provide proper bike storage; if that is the case why does he not organise a sponsored walk.

He is not being pro-active in regard to being environmentally friendly and promoting green forms of transport in an age where car fumes are poisoning the air. It's crystal clear that Mr White is missing the big picture.

Physical exercise promotes physical and mental well being and children who are more active are probably going to do better in their exams

This should be of interest to Mr White.

David Cray, Paxfords, Laindon.

If anyone has any knowledge of the problem of bikes and schools please email me.

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