YOUNG cyclists will be taking to the roads in their thousands this year thanks to a new traffic training scheme.

More than £556,000 has been given to councils to sharpen up children’s cycling skills in Cheshire, Merseyside and Warrington.

Transport minister Paul Clark MP said the Bikeability scheme would help young people reach their target of 60 minutes of exercise each day.

He added: “I will be doing my own training next week, and I look forward to hopefully receiving my Bikeability badge.”

Cycling England chairman Philip Darnton said he was determined to make 2009 the year of Bikeability.

He added: “It is important because learning to ride a bike is a life skill.”

The training is specially designed to give children a higher level of cycling proficiency.

Young children will be taught to master their off-road skills, while secondary school pupils will be shown how to cope with cycling alongside traffic and across roundabouts.

More than 200,000 pupils across the country are expected to be offered the training with a total grant of £5.4m being provided by the government.