HUNDREDS of schoolchildren from across the Bradford district have taken part in a nationwide cycling competition.

The Sustrans Big Pedal competition is ten day initiative that aims to encourage as many children as possible to cycle or scooter to school over a two week period.

Ten schools from across Bradford took part in the competition, joining 1,670 schools from across the country to make well over one million journeys to and from school.

Pupils from Baildon, Burley Oaks, Crossflatts, Eastburn, East Morton, Fagley, Hill Top, Menston, Parkwood, Riddlesden St Mary’s and Worth Valley Primary schools took part in the event, making more than 10,000 journeys to their schools across the ten days of competition.

Unprecedented numbers of pupils took part making a record number of journeys, even braving some of the bizarre spring weather that came during April, with Menston Primary coming out on top as the most active school in Bradford.

Marie Wilson, deputy headteacher at Menston, said the school is delighted to win the Big Pedal local prize in only its second year of entering the competition.

She said: “The win reflects the commitment of our children and families to travel to school safely and healthily each and every day.

“Since taking part in The Big Pedal last year, our scooter and bike parking areas are always overflowing, and we appreciate all of the work that our Sustrans partners continue to do in local schools to teach children to ride safely, equipping them to make healthy lifestyle choices.”

On their best day, Menston recorded 198 scooter and 39 bike journeys into the school, with 55 per cent of pupils taking part.

The Big Pedal competition was organised by the charity Sustrans, which works to make it safer and cheaper for people to travel to school or work by walking, cycling, using public transport, or even by riding their scooters.

With 28.5 per cent of primary schoolchildren in Bradford overweight or obese, Sustrans’ work is funded by Bradford Council’s public health team to get as many children being active as possible on their journeys to school.

Emily Groves, Sustrans officer, said: “In the majority of Bradford schools between 50 and 80 per cent of the journeys on the school run are done by car, which causes major congestion and has a negative impact of the health and wellbeing of our children.

“By travelling to school actively many of these issues can be significantly improved and pupils are more likely to reach their NICE guideline target of an hour of physical exercise a day.”