Hundreds of school children across Hull received free cycle safety equipment over the winter months alongside their cycle training as part of an annual initiative.
‘Bike Lights for Dark Nights’, run by Hull City Council and supported by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside and Safer Roads Humber, has seen the local authority engage with people cycling at locations all over Hull in the past, as well as through targeted work with some of the city’s biggest employers and through collaboration with the voluntary sector.
However, for the most recent winter, the initiative switched focus to support young people who cycle to and from school to ensure they remain safe and seen during the darker mornings and nights.
In the UK, it is a legal requirement to cycle with lights between sunset and sunrise.
The decision to focus on schools followed feedback from local communities and was also an opportunity to further improve road safety for young people by aligning the initiative with the council’s Bikeability programme for Year 6 students, which was recognised as being the best in England in 2025.
It meant that, in addition to receiving cycle training, delivered by the council’s contractors - QTS and First Step Cycle - pupils at Thoresby Primary, Greenway Academy, Marfleet Primary, Escourt Primary, Priory Primary, St Anthony’s VC Academy, Sirius West, Sirius North, Winifred Holtby, Christopher Pickering Primary, Cleeve Primary, Wold Academy, Sidmouth Primary and Alderman Cogan’s C of E Primary were issued with a set of bike lights, a hi-vis rucksack cover and a hi-vis drawstring bag.
In total, 742 pupils received these items as part of their training, with this year’s activity again being part-funded by the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside.
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said -
“We are absolutely delighted by the positive response from our schools, as well as from parents and children, who took part in this year’s Bike Lights for Dark Nights initiative.
“By receiving cycle training and the right safety equipment, we are ensuring that children can ride their bikes to and from school and that they are visible to road users while they do so. We are also encouraging and nurturing good road safety habits in our young people at the earliest opportunity.
“We’d like to thank our schools, our cycle training providers and our partners for their continued support with this initiative, which is helping to make our city’s roads a safe place for everyone.”
Jane Marson, headteacher at Christopher Pickering Primary School, said -
"We were delighted that our Year 5 pupils benefitted from the Bike Lights for Dark Nights initiative alongside their Bikeability training.
“Cycling is a fantastic way for children to stay active and travel to school and providing them with the right safety equipment helps ensure they can do so confidently and safely.
“The pupils really valued receiving the items and the programme has helped reinforce important road safety messages that will stay with them as they grow into more independent road users.”
Leo Hammond, deputy police and crime commissioner, said -
“We are very happy to support this initiative and our schools to help young people be safe on our roads.
“Improving road safety across our communities is a top priority for our office.”