Cycle training

Shaun Brady, head of finance, and I are both avid cyclists and regularly commute to work by bike. In an attempt to refresh and improve our skills, we tackled the busy roads of Birmingham city centre with BikeRight! instructor Steve Duggan.

BikeRight! offers cycle training, driver education, cycling development and bike maintenance in the UK. The training consists of a taught session, off-road training to practise control, and on-road cycling to implement everything learnt throughout the sessions.

This particular session consisted of me and Shaun taking to Five Ways – a three-lane roundabout that serves five of the city’s main arterial roads. A nervy experience for motorists, so a real challenge for cyclists. With high visibility gear on, helmets and lights, we had to be aware of our surroundings at the same time as taking on instructions.

Cyclists tend to pick up habits, which can be a danger to themselves and perhaps other road users. Cycle training allows you to become more aware, assertive and organised. According to statistics from Cycling UK, cycle traffic has risen almost every year since 2008. It is not only beneficial to physical health, but mental too. It improves fitness, mental health and wellbeing, and reduces the risk of premature death and ill-health. It can be incorporated into your daily routine through cycling to work and is environmentally friendly. While there are risks that come with cycling, the benefits are paramount.

After this training, Steve Duggan was heading to London to put lorry drivers through their paces by introducing them to the busy roads of the city by bicycle. I thought that this was a brilliant initiative to make not only cyclists, but motorists spatially and consciously aware of other road users, and a huge step towards making the roads safer.

Training is an important element and huge contribution in the wider safety strategy for cyclists, and myself, Shaun and all of RoSPA cannot recommend it enough.

Errol Taylor, chief executive