Pudsey kids test their biking skills with city centre adventure 

Starting at Primrose Hill Primary School in Pudsey, the children rode down to Rodley and then onto the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, which has been resurfaced thanks to investment from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Riding along the canal towpath, which has been improved between Shipley and Kirkstall, the children finished up at Granary Wharf, on the south side of Leeds Train Station. 

The ride was led by a teacher from the school, Amy Wyatt, and an instructor from Cycle North, Andrew Crossley, a Leeds-based cycle training organisation, and was funded by the Combined Authority.  

At their destination the children enjoyed a packed lunch before setting off back the way they had come, finishing their adventure back at Primrose Hill. 

Primrose Hill Primary School in Pudsey is one of the Combined Authority’s ‘Bike Friendly Schools’, a scheme through with schools across West Yorkshire receive support to actively encourage pupils to make more journeys by bike.  

Cllr Peter Carlill, Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: 

“It’s the biggest test for any cycling route – can everybody use it? It’s great to see children from Pudsey learn that they don’t need to be driven into Leeds city centre.  

“Safe and accessible routes like the Leeds Liverpool Canal and the Leeds Bradford Cycle Superhighway help make active travel the natural choice for short journeys, for all ages.” 

Amy Wyatt, a teacher at Primrose Hill Primary School, said: 

“The city centre cycle is a personal and physical challenge for the year 6 children at Pudsey Primrose Hill Primary School, completed at the end of the year when the children have taken part in their Bikeability Training with Cycle North.  

“This challenge has been taking place for at least 10 years now and the route has been made so much safer as a result of the improvements that have been made to the towpath.  

“The route has been carefully chosen so that our children can experience, first hand, a safe and environmentally friendly way for them to travel into their city centre.  

“Children absorb more of their local area whilst cycling. We hope that this challenge inspires our children to develop a lifelong love of cycling and see the benefits of cycling as a safe and cheaper mode of transport – as well as practise and develop their cycling skills. “ 

The canal towpath is just one option for getting into Leeds City Centre from West Leeds on a bike and by foot. There is also the Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway, a 23km predominantly segregated cycle route, which starts at Church Bank in Bradford and goes through Pudsey, into Leeds city centre. The route continues through to the city centre to east Leeds.  

Thinking about cycling more of your short journeys? Find family-friendly routes with our Journey Planner on CityConnect