Harrogate school discourages cycling on grounds of risk

Cycle Harrogate is about promoting cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle. We wrote to a local school recently explaining what we were about and offering to run basic cycle maintenance classes for the pupils. These to run along side the Bike Ability scheme that the school had been running with  pupils, as yet we have had no response. Now the head at the School Mrs Carolyn Sandford has decided that rather than encouraging pupils to ride their bikes to school, she will make it more difficult. In a letter sent to parents she says the following.

...Unfortunately the school does not have a designated place where they (bikes and scooters) can be stored safely. At present the pupils have been accessing the school car park to leave and collect scooters and bikes at the end of the day. This is obviously a safety risk

...If your child is older and comes to school by themselves then we ask for your support in encouraging your child to leave the scooters and bikes at home.

Some thoughts and questions spring to mind as a response to this letter. Is there nowhere that the school could designate as safe cycle parking. A particular area of railings would do?

The school seems to want to promote cycle use via the Bike Ability scheme but then follows this with a letter that seems designed to stop kids using their bikes on the journeys they make the most often.

If the school had been willing to work with us in partnership, we would have been delighted to both investigate funding, and provide design and build skills for a dedicated cycle shelter which would enhance the school and the local community.

We will be getting back in touch with the school and making this offer. We will of course let you know what happens.