On yer bike

A ROW has broken out between Ysgol Craig-y-Don governors over a decision to spend £17,000 on a new bike shed. One governor, Brian Roberts, who works as an independent financial adviser, believes it is an unnecessary extravagance and the money could be better spent in other areas, such as buying books.

School bike sheds were a major part of schools in the 1950s. Then, it was thought, pupils would ride in their droves to school, and spacious (but usually unlocked) sheds were considered essential. As with so many decisions made by people who didn't have a clue, however, these places simply became assignation venues for the smokers, the ne-er do wells and those who took malicious delights in sabotage, so the bike sheds quickly became expensive white elephants.

Most youngsters don't want to cycle to school; apart from the recurrent risk to the velocipede itself from fiddling hands, in warm weather they arrive sweaty, sticky and pre-tired by the ride and many parents don't want their offspring to run the gauntlet of the morning school rush, either, especially those parents who drive their massive 4 x 4s with all the consideration of a Panzer tank commander late for battle.

Mr Roberts said “To go ahead and spend £17,000 on a school cycle compound on the playing field, to my mind, is ridiculous when the existing stand could be replaced and made more secure at a fraction of the cost,” he claimed. But chairman of governors Louise Martin-Young said “The grant from the Welsh Assembly Government is ring-fenced for this use."

It does seem a lot to spend on cycle sheds which we can confidently predict will be under-used and there will never, ever be decent security, unless they hire an ex-marine to stand there each morning whilst the little 'uns troop in, lock it down, then repeat the performance in rverse order each night. That said, it does seem a little odd for the WA to give this money only for one specific purpose. Schools are generally the best folk to decidd where the money should go, so perhaps the WA should award the money, and not designate it.