Cycle Training for just £5

Somerset County Council’s Moving Forward team are offering cycle training courses for a flat fee of just £5.

We have courses suitable for all cyclists, from beginners courses to advanced training for regular cyclists. We will also run some courses especially for families.

Courses are all held by a qualified instructor in small groups and we can even arrange for your bicycle to be serviced free of charge beforehand.

• Mondays – Control skills. Make sure you are able to handle your bicycle safely and appropriately, including starting, stopping, turning, signalling and looking behind. Held in an off-road area without traffic. The control skills course is aimed at progressing beginner cyclists, those returning to cycling after a break and intermediate cyclists wanting to improve their cycling technique.

• Tuesdays and Wednesdays – On-road cycle skills. 2-evening course covering all the basics of cycling on the road, including road positioning, junctions, turns and smaller roundabouts on light-medium traffic roads. This course is aimed at intermediate cyclists and progressing beginners, plus those wishing to check they are cycling appropriately and safely on the road. To take part in this course, you must be able to control your bicycle properly including while signalling (with either hand) and looking behind – come along on the Monday course if you are not sure! This is a 2-evening course and participants will need to attend both sessions.

• Thursdays – Advanced on-road skills. Dealing with heavier traffic conditions, multi-lane roads and more complex junctions and roundabouts. The Advanced Skills course is aimed at regular cyclists wishing to improve their speed and safety on the road and those progressing from quieter roads to more complex routes.

Weekend training sessions, including Beginners courses, are organised subject to demand. Please contact us fo details.

Adult training sessions are mainly held in Taunton, Yeovil and Bridgwater, though we can run courses in other locations subject to demand. Details of locations will be provided once your booking is confirmed.

FAMILY TRAINING

Family training is available to adults and children aged 8 and above. We don't take children on their own for these courses - they must be accompanied by a responsible adult who will also participate in the training.

The courses start with a bike safety check and off-road control skills, to make sure everyone can handle their bike properly - starting, stopping, steering, signalling and gears. We then progress on to the road, starting with quiet streets and building up to busier roads depending on the capability of the children (or the adults!).

Family sessions are about 3 hours in duration and can be arranged at a time and location to suit you. We prefer to come and run the courses ner your home/school so that you will be learning on the streets you are most likely to be cycling on. We need between 4 and 6 participants to run a Family course, but if you haven't got that many people, we will aim to pair you up with another family in a similar location.

To register your interest in taking part in the training, or for further information, please contact the Moving Forward team by emailing movingforward@somerset.gov.uk or calling 01823 357016.

This programme of training is subsidised by NHS Somerset. There is a flat fee of £5 per person to participate in the training, regardless of how many sessions you attend.

Participation will be at your own risk and you will be responsible for your own safety during the course, both on and off the road. Each participant should bring a safe and roadworthy bicycle to ride during the course, plus lights and appropriate clothing (helmets at the discretion of the participant). If you are not sure if your bike is in safe working order, we can arrange for your bicycle to be serviced free of charge before your first session.

Once you have booked on to a course, you can pay your £5 fee over the phone, by cheque or via our online payment system. (this will take you through to the Somerset County Council website for payment.) Please do not pay before you have booked on to a course!