Dakers welcomes new cycling tests for children

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 26th Mar 2007

New cycling tests for children have been welcomed by Andrew Dakers, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth. The plans were announced by the government this week to replace the proficiency test carried out in school playgrounds.

Cllr Andrew Dakers said:

"I welcome the attempt to build children's confidence in cycling. We need to ensure that the new scheme strikes the right balance between safety and instilling a lifelong pleasure in taking to two wheels.

"Too many children don't get enough exercise through walking to school locally or cycling. We also need to reduce the numbers of cars on the weekday school run and this scheme may well be one way of doing so.

"We also need to keep working to improve and extend cycle routes in Hounslow so that children can build confidence by riding around the borough and places like Gunnersbury and Osterley Park."