Partners win award for ensuring safe, sustainable journeys to school
Thursday, 24 November 2022
Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedford Borough Council, Luton Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) were delighted to win the ‘Partnership of the year’ award.
The award at the recent annual Modeshift convention recognises and celebrates the partnership work last winter, which saw the Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership ensure school pupils were traveling safely on their sustainable journeys to school.
During the pandemic, the Local authorities saw an increase in older pupils cycling to school, and to ensure their bikes were in a safe and useable condition, the funding was used to provide rechargeable bike lights to all secondary/upper school pupils who were cycling to school, as well as providing Dr Bike maintenance sessions.
The project, funded by the OPCC, helped over 1,500 pupils across Bedfordshire to stay safe on their bikes during the winter months.
Councillor Steven Dixon, our Executive Member for Sustainability and Transformation; said:
We’re really proud of our team for working tirelessly, around the clock to fulfill new schemes that help our community and provide a safer environment for children to get to and from school.
This award recognised and celebrates the efforts being made by all the partners involved with education providers, businesses and community groups to encourage active and sustainable travel across our communities.
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye said:
I am really proud to be able to support such a worthy project to help hundreds of our young people across the county get out on their bikes and be active.
This is a great example of partnership working at its best and I am glad the effort of all the teams involved has been recognised with this award.
Protecting and keeping our young people safe, both at home and on our streets, are a key focus of mine as Police and Crime Commissioner, and this is just one of a range of great initiatives I am backing here in Bedfordshire.
Over the next few weeks, several schools in Bedfordshire will be provided with bike and scooter lights, as well as Dr Bike sessions.