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background
to the introduction of national standards:
An organiser that can meet the recognised standards of operation for
any industry should be able to demonstrate to clients, funders,
local authorities, insurers or health and safety managers that the
scheme meets an acceptable best practice. Over a five year
period the cycle training sector has been adopting this principle to
move from an environment where a myriad of disjointed programmes
operate side by side to a situation where there is a common
framework throughout the sector for the delivery of cyclist training
for trips by road.
 The
most important component of this is the introduction of standards
for instructors and much clearer guidance for clients on the
contents of any course of training through the introduction of
client standards. This is a sensitive area, and many believe it
contradicts the perception of cycling as a free, relatively
unregulated and enjoyable activity, but cycling activities are
currently provided in a very disjointed manner. There is high
quality provision by many individuals and groups, wholly
unsatisfactory practice or in many cases no provision at all.
Activity providers rely on long-term experience as the main
criterion of acceptance. A serious incident has not yet occurred in
the UK but if it did it will have a dramatic impact on confidence
unless appropriate mechanisms are in place to support the sector.
CTC and the
many partners it has worked with in the last 5 years believes the
best schemes will demonstrate to clients just how easy and enjoyable
cycling can be and the standards can be relatively invisible to
clients, but the confidence of the sector as a whole will be
improved by the provision of effective standards and quality
assurance mechanisms. The support for Standards comes from the
CTC who provides a national administration and support service for
the sector “The National cycle Training Helpline” which is part
funded by Cycling England.
the
development of standards:
 A
national cycle training scheme (Cycling Proficiency) was devised and
proposed to government in 1936 by CTC as a way of reducing the
growing incidence of road casualties in the period as road traffic
grew rapidly. It was not until the late 1940s that the
government adopted the proposal to be co-ordinated by safety charity
RoSPA. Cycling Proficiency only trained cyclists – usually
schoolchildren – to make manoeuvres in school playgrounds or away
from traffic. The scheme ran nationally until 1974 but since then
responsibility for cycle training for road safety purposes has been
with local authorities, while a range of other programmes have
appeared in other sectors like health.
In 2002 prior to the creation of the CTC Adult Cycle Training Scheme
for the Department for Transport and the Department of Health CTC
reviewed the national status of cycle training provision. The CTC
review
(here) made a series of
recommendations to policy makers: “The training and education of
young people and potential adult cycle users to a national standard
of cycle use is a strategic priority in achieving the goals of the
National Cycling Strategy.”
 Proposals
subsequently made their way into national policy, being adopted
first by the former National Cycling Strategy Board, and then
elements were included in the government’s
Action Plan on Cycling and Walking (June
2004) and the public health white paper
“Choosing Health” (October 2004).
The
work plan for Cycling England,
the new body charged with delivering the government’s cycling
activities took forward these policy initiatives into its work plan
and has subsequently announced a series of funding initiative to
drive the adoption of the standard in
England.
The National Standard has been developed by all the bodies involved
in cycle training and is supported by the Government, local
authorities, as well as cycling and road safety organisations. The
new National Standard trains cyclists to be competent and confident
using their bikes for all sorts of journeys.
maintenance of standards:
The custodianship of National Standards has passed to a independent
body called the Cycle Training Reference Group (CTRG) which has
members from government, cycling, road safety and training delivery.
Some government funding is given to CTRG to enable it to operate
independently and its is recognised by the Department for Transport,
Scottish Executive and Wales Assembly Government.
cycle
training standards board
(CTSB)
 The
Cycle
Training
Standards
Board (CTSB)
was
formed
in
February
2007 by
the
Department
for
Transport
as the
custodian
body of
the
National
Standards
for
Cycle
Training.
The
National
Standards
are the
Government
approved
standards
for
cycle
training.
The CTSB
replaces
the
development
group,
which
over the
last
four
years
has
developed
and
refined
The
National
Standards.
There
are a
number
of key
organisations
who are
members
of the
CTSB's
executive
group.
These
are:
The CTSB
also
operates
a number
of
working
groups
comprised
of other
key
stakeholders
such as
Transport
for
London,
National
Standards
training
providers,
instructor
training
providers
and
instructors
and
other
cycling
partner
organisations.
They are
also
responsible
for the
maintenance
and
relevance
of The
National
Standards,
and for
The
National
Standards
framework
(i.e.
how the
Standards
are
delivered).
This
includes
the
accreditation
of
schemes
and
instructors
as well
as the
audit
and
enforcement
of
delivery.
The
Board
meets
three
times a
year and
sets an
annual
work
programme,
which is
considered
and
funded
in each
UK
country
by the
relevant
body.
the new national standards
for cycling:
The National Standards for
Cycle Training sets out the training and skills essential for making
cycling trips in today's road conditions. The standard developed by
over 20 organisations and maintained by the custodian body for cycle
training, the Cycle Training Standards Board (CTSB).
Members of the CTSB are the
UK's leading bodies in road safety and cycling. By establishing
National Standards, the Government is setting out a nationwide
uniform programme of formal training ,which will reassure parents in
particular, that young people wanting to cycle have been instructed
in the essential skills and procedures wherever they may live.
there are three national standard levels:
level 1
is usually covered in a traffic free environment. Those completing
Level 1 will be able to demonstrate the skills and understanding to
be able to make a trip and undertake activities safely in a motor
traffic free environment and as a pre-requisite to a road trip.
Level 2
is covered on quiet roads but with real traffic conditions. Those
completing Level 2 will be able to demonstrate the skills and
understanding to be able to make a trip safely to school, work or
leisure on quiet roads
Level 3 is covered
on busy roads incorporating real traffic conditions and advanced
road features. Those completing Level 3 will be able demonstrate the
skills and understanding to be able to make a trip safely to school,
work or leisure on busy roads and using complex junctions and road
features.
For more information on each
of the three levels click on the links to the left of this page.
bikeability and the new
cycling national standards:
In September 2006, Cycling
England launched Bikeability, (the new cycling proficiency for the
21st Century) as the Award Scheme for cyclists trained to The
National Cycle Training Standard. The Bikeability badge will be a
worthy successor to the old cycling proficiency scheme, updated for
today's world.
The launch marked the start
of the gearing-up phase involving more than 5,000 children across
eight regions; Merseyside, Exeter, Essex,
Cornwall
(by Independent Instructor Wendy Creed of Road Safety and Cycle
Training), Isle of Wight, London Borough of Kingston, Manchester and
Hertfordshire. During this period nearly 10,000 badges were awarded.
The most important aspect of
the gearing up phase was to gather information in order to enable a
smooth and successful national roll-out. Extensive in-depth
interviews were undertaken with children, parents, teachers, scheme
organisers, providers and instructors. From this research, materials
and the method of their distribution were further improved; and the
research indicated that:
Download the full Gearing up
report on the Cycling England website
www.cyclingengland.co.uk/bikeability/
The start of the National
Roll-Out of Bikeability across England will take place from April
2007. All providers of cycle training, from local authorities to
independent trainers, will be able to participate in the Bikeability
award scheme. Bikeability will be a mark of quality and commitment
to teaching an important life-skill, and will become a nationally
recognised scheme.
To give out Bikeability
badges and certificates to your trained cyclists, you must first
ensure that:
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