Can schools ban cycling?
In short, no. But they can ban bikes being brought on to school property, effectively creating a cycling ban by discouraging pupils who want to cycle to school.
Schools can't legally prohibit cycling as the decision about how children get to school lies with parents. Schools are neither liable for how children get to school or any property brought onto school premises.
Some schools ban cycling due to perceptions over safety. While schools understandably want to put the safety of the pupils first, studies have estimated that the health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks by at least 20:1. Presenting the head teacher, governors and others in authority with details of the overriding benefits of pupils cycling could help start to turn things around. Our information sheet Facts and figures to support school travel initiatives is a good starting point.
Other things you could do to try and encourage school authorities to reconsider a ban on cycling are:
- conducting a survey to show how many pupils would like to cycle to school (national results show this is nearly half of pupils)
- giving examples of best practice, e.g. other schools in the area who are actively encouraging cycling
- highlighting how promoting cycling can help towards Healthy Schools and Sustainable Schools goals and other curriculum activities
- letting them know about the support they can get from School Travel Advisors and other organisations (such as us!)
Our online Toolkit includes a template school cycling policy and pupil cycle permit which can be freely used and adapted by schools. These may be helpful where schools have concerns about safety and liability.
The CTC are running a campaign for the Right to Ride to School and have a campaigning kit on their website for families who want their children to be able to cycle to school.
How we use cookies