School teaching student cyclists

STUDENTS at Mount Clear Primary School will be taught about road rules, bike handling and maintenance as part of a bicycle safety program.

The sessions will be delivered via in classes, and tutoring coordinator Sam Cooper said the program will cover all kids need to know about keeping safe and bikes will maintained.

“It’s going to be about riding a bike safely, using the road safely, how to maintain and look after your bike if things were to go wrong,” he said.

“We have a number of kids that ride to school so if this can increase the number of kids riding and their confidence in it then that’s a fabulous outcome.

The program is being funded with $1600 from the State Government’s $1.5 million Community Road Safety Grants program.

Mount Clear Primary School’s course is one of 33 projects being delivered across the Grampians region, with nearly $146,000 allocated to the area.

Michael Bailey, Grampians regional director at the Department of Transport, said Mount Clear’s program is being tailored by the school for the school.

“We’re able to support this but it’s about the school delivering what they want rather than us trying to say this is what you need to do,” he said.

Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, visited the school on Tuesday to announce the grant and said a primary aim is to provide safer road conditions for the students.

“I want them out there and active but more than anything I want them to be safe so this is all about providing that and getting them outdoors,” she said.

“Many people would ride their bikes to school, and it has since become school pickup and drop-off. There’s particular issues with that with Mount Clear, it’s a busy stretch of road here.

“The more we can encourage students to ride to school, the better, but we need to know they’ll be safe.”