What’s on

Imagine starting your Friday with fresh air, music, and a moving stream of children and parents cycling together through the streets of St Albans—chatting, laughing, waving at passers-by, and gliding past the traffic jams. That’s the Big Batchwood Bike Bus—and it might just be the most joyful way for children and their families to get to school.

Launched in September 2024, our Bike Bus gives children the chance to travel safely by bike to either Margaret Wix or Garden Fields School along a guided, supervised route from the New Greens estate. It’s part community project, part climate action—and all fun.

For the children, it’s a chance to ride with their friends in the open air, supported by adults who cycle around them like a moving safety bubble. There’s music playing, the thrill of independence, and the pride of being part of something bigger. They arrive at school alert, energised and smiling—having already made a difference to their day and their world.
And for parents? It’s an uplifting start to the morning. It’s time outdoors with their kids. It’s exercise, connection, and shared purpose. Even for those who might already walk to school, the Bike Bus adds something special: the sense of being part of a movement, showing that safe, active travel to school really can be the norm.

The Bike Bus is the brainchild of Damian Gaskin, who’s spent 15 years cycling around St Albans—often with his own children in a Dutch Cargo bike, on a Tandem or on their own bikes. Every week he’s joined by Green Party councillor Juliet Voisey, veteran cyclist Bill Howard, and passionate mum and rider Andrea Beleno Perez.

Together, they create a protective “peloton” around the children—wearing high-visibility clothing, flashing lights, and helmets to keep everyone visible and safe. It’s by far the safest way for children to cycle to school, and the joy and confidence it brings are just as valuable.

The Bike Bus departs each Friday at 8:00am from the playground, at the junction of Maple Road and Toulmin Drive. A live GPS tracker allows families to see where the group is on its New Greens route, so you can hop on at a convenient point. To follow the tracker and get updates, just join the Bike Bus WhatsApp group—here’s a link… https://chat.whatsapp.com/F4uhrN7MBrc3MOSiZ2OVS1

And if you’re a parent who’d like to cycle but feels unsure on the roads—don’t worry. Come along. The group will support you. In fact, that’s one of the Bike Bus’s biggest wins: helping adults feel confident cycling with their children.

We believe children should be able to cycle to school safely. We believe St Albans can support this. And we believe that with a bit of will, support from the council, and the growing enthusiasm of local families, this small weekly ride can help spark big changes.

So why not give it a go? Join the movement. Join the Bike Bus.
Because the school run doesn’t have to mean stress, traffic and queues. It can mean fresh air, freedom—and fun.