Funding & Policy
How BCSA Aligns to UK Active Travel and Road Safety Policy
BCSA certification is designed to generate the evidence that councils, schools, and organisations need for funding applications, policy compliance, and programme evaluation.
Context
The safety challenge
Cycling and micromobility are growing, but casualty figures show that safety education has not kept pace.
82
Cyclists killed on UK roads in 2024
DfT Pedal Cycle Factsheet 2024
3,822
Cyclists seriously injured in 2024
DfT Pedal Cycle Factsheet 2024
39%
Of e-scooter casualties aged 10-19
DfT E-Scooter Factsheet 2024
2%
Of children cycle to school despite £billions in infrastructure
NTS 2024
+16%
Serious cycling injuries 16% higher than 2004 (unadjusted)
DfT Pedal Cycle Factsheet 2024
3×
Children from deprived areas face 3× higher cycling casualty rates
Vidal-Tortosa et al., 2021
Funding
Aligned to UK funding streams
BCSA reporting is designed to generate the evidence required by major active travel and road safety funding bodies.
ATE Consolidated Fund
BCSA completion data maps directly to Active Travel England logic model outputs. Council-wide deployment reports can evidence reach, engagement, and knowledge gain across your authority. Our reporting structure is designed to support the output metrics that ATE typically requires for monitoring and evaluation.
Road Safety Trust
BCSA programme data provides the pre/post evidence structure that Road Safety Trust grants typically require for road safety education interventions. Completion rates, pass/fail data, and knowledge gain metrics are all available as standard reporting outputs.
Modeshift STARS
Schools using BCSA can log completion data as evidence of road safety education within their Modeshift STARS travel plan accreditation. BCSA reports provide the structured evidence that STARS assessors look for.
DfT Statistics Alignment
Our reporting uses DfT casualty categories and age bands, making it straightforward to contextualise programme impact against national road safety statistics. This alignment simplifies evidence-building for funding applications and policy briefings.
DfT Policy
Department for Transport alignment
BCSA certification supports the DfT's road safety framework and education targets.
Safe System Approach
Road safety requires strengthening across roads and roadsides, speeds, vehicles, emergency response, and road user standards. Education is a core component of road user standards.
Road Safety Targets
65% reduction in people killed or seriously injured by 2035. 70% reduction for children under 16 by 2035. Safety education is part of the prevention strategy.
Vulnerable Road User Hierarchy
DfT prioritises pedestrians first, then cyclists. BCSA content is designed around this hierarchy, focusing on the most vulnerable road users.
RSHE 2026
Statutory requirement for road safety in schools from September 2026. BCSA provides a structured, assessable programme that schools can use to deliver and evidence this requirement.
ATE Capability Ratings
Active Travel England assesses 79 local transport authorities on a 0-4 capability rating scale. Higher ratings lead to greater funding allocations. Structured behaviour change programmes like BCSA contribute to the capability building evidence that supports higher ratings.
Terminology
BCSA language mapped to policy language
How our platform terminology translates to the language used in funding applications and policy documents.
BCSA Term
Policy Equivalent
Completion rate
Programme reach / engagement (ATE logic model)
Pass rate
Knowledge gain / behaviour change indicator
Cohort report
M&E output data (ATE reporting)
Certificate issued
Individual outcome / accreditation record
Age-banded content
RSHE curriculum alignment by Key Stage
Safeguarding controls
KCSIE 2025 compliance evidence
Road crashes
Preventable events (Brake convention — not 'accidents')
Capability building
ATE's preferred term for council development and readiness
Modal shift
ATE's primary measurement term for travel behaviour change
Vulnerable road users
DfT's formal road safety hierarchy (pedestrians → cyclists → public transport)
Ecosystem
Related programmes
BCSA is designed to complement — not replace — existing road safety and active travel programmes.
Bikeability
Bikeability provides practical on-road cycle training funded by DfT. BCSA complements Bikeability by providing the theoretical hazard awareness and road safety knowledge component. Together, they offer a complete cycle safety education covering both knowledge and practical skills.
Complementary — theory + practice
Modeshift STARS
Modeshift STARS is the national schools awards scheme for sustainable and active travel. BCSA completion data provides structured evidence that schools can use within their STARS travel plan to demonstrate road safety education delivery.
Evidence provider for STARS accreditation
RSHE 2026
The updated Relationships, Sex and Health Education guidance makes road safety a statutory topic within Health Education from September 2026. BCSA provides a structured, assessable programme that schools can use to deliver and evidence this requirement.
Curriculum delivery tool
Need a policy briefing?
We can provide a briefing note for your ATE lead, road safety team, or procurement office explaining how BCSA aligns to your specific funding and policy requirements. Get in touch and we'll tailor it to your authority.
Questions about funding eligibility?
Get in touch with our team to discuss how BCSA aligns to your authority's funding streams and policy requirements.