Nearly 80% of children never cycle to school, but an overwhelming 70% of parents say that cycling is their preferred method for the school run thats according to a survey from insurer RedClick carried out by IrelandThinks in July.The release of the survey prompted cycling to school to be covered this morning by both RTEs Today with David McCullagh and NewsTalks The Claire Byrne Show The first includes input from Jo Linehan, sustainability journalist, and Martina Callanan, a spokesperson for the Irish Cycling Campaign, and the latter includes a discussion with Ciaran Cannon, president of Cycling Ireland, and Eoin Ryan, a co-ordinator of the Salt Hill Cycle Bus. Both discussions give some different perspectives. Of the survey respondents, only 5% of their children cycle to school daily, with another 8% cycling occasionally. Of the parents who responded to the survey, 81% said their children cycle less than they did at the same age.According to RedClick, respondents said the distance to school (54%), heavy school bags (41%), unpredictable weather (39%) and a lack of confidence cycling with their children (22%) were the reasons respondents said that their children do not cycle to school.With secondary school students, social and personal factors present additional barriers. The reasons parents gave for their secondary school children not cycling included distance (54%), unsuitable school uniforms (49%), a lack of confidence cycling(46%), and concerns over the impact on personal appearance (42%).When interviewed on Newstalk, Eoin Ryan welcomed RedClicks interest in this area, including their past surveys, but said he thinks the options for why children did not cycle did not clearly enough include an option regarding the danger of our roads for cycling. In its press release, the company said: When asked what would encourage a higher take-up of cycling, 48% identified additional safer, improved cycling infrastructure as the single most effective intervention, while 28% called for the introduction of a targeted Bike to School scheme, similar to the Bike to Work scheme.Lisa Silver, RedClicks commercial director, called the decrease in cycling to school a generational decline while families want to cycle to school, practical issues and lack of confidence remain significant barriers.She added: The results of this survey show that targeted bike purchase schemes, safety courses, and continued investment in cycling infrastructure could make a measurable impact in enabling children to cycle to school.What did the last Census say? While theres still a long road to recover the 1980s levels of cycling (when the population has grown in the same time), the recovery seems to have started for primary schools. There has been a stark improvement in the number of secondary school students; its even a longer road to go to recover.