Cycling Guidelines

Cycling Guidelines

1. No student may bring a cycle on to the school premises unless permitted to do so by the Headteacher.
   
   
2. No student living within a reasonable walking distance of school (e.g., one mile) is permitted to bring a cycle to school, except in cases when, in the opinion of the Headteacher there are special circumstances which warrant the granting of such permission.
   
   
3. Cycle permits will not be issued until a completed application form has been submitted, duly signed by parents/guardians, and the cycle has been checked for safety and roadworthiness.
   
   
4. Parents and students will be aware of the danger of cycling on roads with fast moving traffic and thus cyclists are advised to take the Cyclists' Proficiency Test.
   
   
5. Students are expected to abide by the Hounsdown School Cycling Rules (shown below).
   
   
6. Permits will be withdrawn if students do not have adequate knowledge of or fail to follow the Cyclists' Code (shown below).
   
   
7. Permission to cycle to school will be withdrawn from students who break the Hounsdown School Cycling Rules, the Cyclists' Code, are rude or abusive to pedestrians or who are known to cycle dangerously, e.g., riding with both hands off the handlebars, hanging onto vehicles or giving rides to other children. Permission will also be withdrawn if the cycle is deemed to be unroadworthy.
   
   
8. A record will be maintained of students who fail to wear safety helmets when cycling. If a student persists in this dangerous behaviour his cycle will be confiscated, on the third occasion, and parents will be asked to collect it from school.
   
   
9. The most common reasons for permits to be withdrawn are as follows:
   
   a) poor condition of cycle, e.g., brakes.
   b) no cycle helmet.
   c) breaking of Hounsdown School Cycling Rules.
   d) failure to behave and follow the Cyclists' Code.
   
   
10. It is Hounsdown School's aim to keep students' safe and our sanctions are in place to achieve this.
    
    
11. The Cycle Safety Co-ordinator, following the school protocols, can withdrawal of cycle permits on an individual basis.  Severe rule breaking and continual offending, could result in permanent withdrawal of permits.

Cyclists' Code

1. When meeting traffic, keep to the left.
   
   
2. When overtaking, always pass on the right.
   
   
3. Signal with the right hand when you wish to turn to the right and with the left hand for a left turn. Give plenty of notice to oncoming traffic.
   
   
4. Be courteous to other road users.
   
   
5. Always ride in single file.
   
   
6. Never ride in the middle of the road - even if it is clear.
   
   
7. When turning from one road into another, keep to the left of the road from which you are turning.
   
   
8. Never carry anyone on your cycle.
   
   
9. Never carry items hanging from your handlebars.
   
   
10. When the road is wet, ride with special caution and do not apply brakes suddenly.

Cycling Rules

• Cyclists must wear helmets at all times when cycling.
  
  
• Cyclists must dismount before entering the school gates and must not cycle on the school premises.
  
  

• Cyclists are forbidden to cross the A35, other than by using the designated traffic lighted crossing points or the underpass near Players Crescent. In both cases, cyclists should give priority to pedestrians and be careful passing them.
  
  

• It is illegal to cycle on the pedestrian pathways. The Police, however, agree that it is dangerous to cycle to/from school on certain roads in our catchment area. Unofficially, they agree not to prevent pupils from using the path for cycling, providing that pupils look out for the pedestrians using the path and pass then very slowly, dismounting if necessary.

Cycle Permit Application Form