Shawclough Primary links into National Cycle Network

Date published: 13/10/2005

Shawclough Community Primary School is now officially linked to the National Cycle Network.

To mark Walk to School Week, Headteacher Dave Kendell cut the ribbon and declared the link path open. Pupils, parents, Council and Sustrans staff involved in the project attended the ceremony.

The paths connect the school directly to Regional Route 92 of the National Cycle Network, and the Syke and Bentley Street housing areas.

The new and rebuilt routes to the school are used by many walkers and cyclists - more than 10% of pupils regularly cycled to school over a twelve week period in the summer.

The Big Lottery-funded BikEDlinx project and Sustrans' 'Bike It' project have provided cyclist training, promotion events and weekly Cycle to School days. BikEDlinx will shortly provide cycle links to six other schools in the area. These two projects led to a grant from Sustrans and the Department for Transport for the Shawclough link paths.

Walking on the National Cycle Network is encouraged by Sustrans and Local Authorities; about half the journeys on the Network are walking trips.