I’m a primary school teacher, for those of you who didn’t already know. The school in which I teach is situated in what could be considered one of the most cycle unfriendly parts of the planet. Some enterprising 60’s town planner managed to squeeze a tower block estate cheek to concrete cheek with the A2 Old Kent Rd. Thus was born the Tustin Estate https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tustin-Estate/214033508616258?sk=info with Pilgrims Way Primary
School right at its heart. A community of several hundred families who have to negotiate one of London’s busiest almost motorways every day of their lives. (That town planner must have had a bit of a twisted sense of humour, too, naming all these towering cuboids after beautiful places in the Lake District)
So it might be surprising that a (possibly greater than average) number of our children cycle to school. But they do. The estate itself is, in a way, a small concrete oasis free of motor traffic. Children who live on it may have a direct journey of less than half a mile to school, and quite a few of them cycle it, frequently leaving home in time to ride a few circuits before they arrive at the school gates. And others live in the maze of streets in North Peckham, which still follow the Victorian pattern of roads, although the old terraces of Victorian workers cottage are now interspersed with modern blocks of maisonettes and occasionally a park, where the bombs fell. Some of those ride too, as these back streets are fairly quiet, only local traffic knowing how to break free of the relentless stream of traffic entering or exiting London on the A2 or A202 which border this area.
So, I decided we should enter this London Cycle Challenge, as it’s the kind of thing children love. A competition with prizes. And to my very great surprise, at the end of the first week , we are heading up our leader board (schools of less than 250 pupils). How can this be? I assumed there would be schools in leafier, safer areas, with parents who have more time and resources on their hands, to take their children on cycle rides (many of our parents work long, unsocial hours) who would easily be able to outdo us. Not so far , anyway. Of course it’s early days. We do have a few staff, governors and parents who already cycle for pleasure. So I’m hopeful we can maintain our lead and win the cycle parking which apparently is the school prize. We could do with it, as our rack of six wheel benders cannot cope with the twenty or so bikes which are crammed in there every day, not to mention scooters and skateboards. But even if we don’t, the enthusiasm for the bike which has erupted since we joined is quite exhilarating. I have been extending my own commute to up our team mileage, and when I left earlier than usual, the other day, some children on their bikes so wanted to come too. And this morning, one of the mums sailed into the playground, on a stately, solid sit up and beg, hair flowing free, skirt swirling and six year old perched up on the handlebars. Did I rush out and remind her that this is not a safe and aceptable way to be transporting her offspring to school, and offer her a helmet?
What do you think?