YOUNGSTERS enjoyed a day of fun cycling training at their school to help them ride the tarmac safely and confidently. As part of the National Bike to School Week, twelve children from Years Four and Five at Rush Green Junior School, Dagenham Road, receive

YOUNGSTERS enjoyed a day of fun cycling training at their school to help them ride the tarmac safely and confidently.

As part of the National Bike to School Week, twelve children from Years Four and Five at Rush Green Junior School, Dagenham Road, received The National Standards Cycle Training on April 21 (Tuesday).

Craig Elliot from the council's Road Safety department trains children and adults in the borough to cycle safely and confidently.

He said: "The aim is to give school children the ability to ride and commute to school.

"They learn the basic skills in three stages."

At Rush Green, children were taught the second level as they already had basic cycling skills.

Mr Elliott said: "They learned basic control, some safety maintenance, how to negotiate junctions, how to overtake vehicles, environmental issues and about a healthy life style."

"They loved it. They always want more. That's why we're training to get some of the teachers involved."

As part of the scheme, which teaches around 2,700 people in the borough how to ride safely every year, thirteen adults in the borough are trained to become cycling instructors.

Mr Elliott said: "It's surprising that most of the children can already cycle very well but they all pick up and learn something new.