Apprentices have been urged to get on their bikes.
Young people embarking on apprenticeships can get discounted bikes and free cycle training – to cut the cost of travelling to and from their workplace or college.
The scheme is part of the CityConnect Cycles programme run by West Yorkshire Combined Authority – the body made up of the five local councils covering Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield, Bradford and Leeds.
Young people can sign up online at www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk/cycle-training to take part in training sessions at CityConnect’s cycle training hubs, including ones at Leeds Road sport complex in Huddersfield and King Cross fire station in Halifax.
Clr Eric Firth, deputy chair of the combined authority’s transport committee, said: “Young people who have just picked up up their A-Level results have key decisions to make over what to do next. It’s important that any issues around getting to and from sources of education and training do not deter them from choosing an option that may actually be the best one for them in the long term.
“Through CityConnect Cycles, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is making it easier for young people to access apprenticeships, stay safe on the roads and find a cost-effective way of starting their careers.”
Research by the national council of YMCAs found that transport costs can be “debilitating” and deter young people from taking apprenticeships. There were about 31,200 apprenticeship starts in the 2015/16 academic year across the Leeds City Region, which includes Kirklees.
