What is the National standard for cycle training?
The National Standard for Cycle Training (the ‘National Standard’) is a statement of competent cycling and cycling instruction.
Cycling Scotland is represented on the Cycle Training Standards Board and is committed to developing and delivering courses in line with the National standard for cycle training.
The standard is maintained by the Department for Transport and provides a series of outcomes covering the skills necessary for cycle instructors and people cycling in different road conditions.
The National Standard:
- is a comprehensive guide to cycling well, not a mandatory pre-requisite for cycling
- focuses on how well people cycle, not how many or how often people cycle
- recognises that other interventions also encourage cycling, including education, engineering and enforcement
- is competence based, describing the skills, and understanding required to cycle well
- includes observable performance (‘I can’ statements) and demonstrable comprehension (‘I understand’ statements)
- aims to increase clarity, minimise duplication, and reduce inconsistent interpretation
- provides the basis for a range of different cycle training programmes, including Bikeability
- supports the development of learning resources and other communications to help riders cycle well.
Cycling Scotland has aligned Bikeability Scotland with the National Standard with formal adoption from January 2021.