Cyclebus

A citizen-led initiative that began in a small town in Catalonia in Spain in 2020 has gone global. The idea behind it was to enable children to cycle to school in a safe, healthy, and enjoyable environment.

The ‘Cycle Bus’, is a hi-vis convoy of cyclists, made up of children and volunteer parents, teachers and grandparents who travel together through traffic, offering safety in numbers. It also helps to cut pollution and traffic congestion and empowers children to become more responsible, independent and active.

The venture soon spread to other towns and cities where it won the support of local authorites and the police, who sometimes even provide an escort on busy routes.  Nowadays, across Catalonia, some 1,200 children in 25 cities make a weekly commute to school by bike, and ‘cycle buses’ have spread to many other countries, including Ireland. They can be found operating in many cities and towns, including Dublin, Galway, Cork, Portlaoise, Ennis, Sligo and Kilkenny. Cyclebus Ireland

(photo credit Green Schools)