Bike Around the Borough scoops cycling award
Hackney's Bike Around the Borough has picked up the best schools initiative prize at the 2013 London Cycling Awards.
More than 240 schoolchildren from 17 Hackney schools took part in the nine mile bike ride last May, taking in landmarks and green spaces.
The young cyclists experienced using main roads, practicing the skills developed this year through national standards cycle training.
Teachers were also trained and learnt how to become ride marshals to help their school group and increase skills for future rides.
The sustainable transport team picked up the award at St Martin-in-the-Fields at an event hosted by Ned Boulting that celebrates and recognises the best in London cycling.
Bike Around the Borough is a fantastic way of getting young people interested in cycling. Cycling is a quick, easy and healthy way to get around our borough and by giving children the confidence to cycle safely we hope that they will become cyclists for life.
Bike Around the Borough will take place on 27 June this year, with more than 300 schoolchildren expected to take part.
Hackney has been recognised nationally for its innovative approaches to encouraging cycling. Initiatives such as free training for children and adults, 20 mile per hour limits on all Council-controlled residential roads and awareness training for HGV drivers mean that the borough now has the highest rates of cycling amongst residents in the capital.