Joy on two wheels: the 2025 Global Bike Bus Summit in Worcester

At a time when the world can feel full of nothing but bad news, the 2025 Global Bike Bus Summit offered something we all desperately need: hope, joy, and a powerful reminder of the magic that happens when children are able to ride their bikes.

Held in Worcester on the 10th–11th of April 2025, this third annual gathering brought together an incredible group of change makers from across the UK and beyond, including visitors from Spain, Portugal, Austria and the United States.

Whether you’re already part of a Bike Bus or just hearing about them for the first time, hopefully this article will both inspire you and give you hope for the future. 

What is a Bike Bus?

If you're new to the concept, a Bike Bus is a simple yet brilliant idea: groups of children (along with adults such as parents, grandparents, teachers, and volunteers) meet up and cycle to school together, collecting riders at designated “Bike Bus stops” along the way. 

They can be small, with just a few families, or enormous, with hundreds of kids riding together in joyful convoys. Some even feature music, fancy dress, bubble machines, and stickers galore. 

Most Bike Buses run one morning per week, but can be any frequency the organisers want. 

They’re fun, safe, and increasingly visible, especially thanks to the power of social media.

Do you know someone who’d love to see a Bike Bus in their area? Please share this article with them!

A movement making headlines

Before the summit had even begun, Bike Buses were making national news. On the first morning of the event, BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme ran a live report from a Cardiff Bike Bus with over 100 children cycling to school. 

They interviewed a couple of children, a parent organiser (who also happens to be a Radio 4 reporter!), and Coach Sam Balto: a US Bike Bus pioneer whose social media coverage has made him the most recognisable face in the Bike Bus movement. By the end of the day this had been picked up by several other news organisations. 

Coverage like this is crucial. When people see a Bike Bus, they understand immediately what it is, and why it matters.

What happens at a Global Bike Bus Summit?

Day one of the summit was packed with workshops and talks tailored to every level of experience, from first-timers dreaming of starting their own Bike Bus to regular organisers looking to grow their routes.

Some were aimed at campaigners and others (such as Cycle Sprog’s session) at parents. 

You can catch up on some of the workshop sessions on the Bike Worcester YouTube channel.

The weather was incredible, and just as everyone came outside into the late afternoon sunshine a pedal-powered ice cream cart arrived – perfect timing!

Excitement mounted with the announcement of the winner of a competition for local school children to design a Worcester-themed bike stand. Young Arlo’s winning concept paid tribute to local composer Edward Elgar.  

Thanks to local manufacturer Worcester Bosch (better known for their boilers than bike racks) Arlo’s design is being brought to life. One of the four stands was ready for unveiling at the summit. 

Bike Worcester are speaking with the city council to find an appropriate location for when the final bike rack is completed (fingers crossed for a speedy green light from the local authorities!).

As I sat outside in the sunshine eating bike-delivered ice cream, surrounded by excited children as well as so many inspirational people changing the world one Bike Bus at a time, Worcester really did feel like a Land of Hope and Glory. 

Connections that count

For many, the magic of the summit was the opportunity to connect with people who share a common mission: getting more children cycling. 

For me, it was especially meaningful to meet so many of the people I've known online for years, as well as meeting many new people.

It was also the first time the entire Cycle Sprog team had been in the same place! We managed to get in a bike ride around Worcester together as well as a long overdue Christmas lunch! 

And yes, we made sure to get a team photo...

Riding through Worcester: a Bike Bus in action

Day two began the best way possible: on a bike. Worcester currently has 16 Bike Bus routes across 12 schools, and we were lucky enough to join one of them.

The experience was unforgettable. 

From just a handful of riders at the first stop, the numbers quickly grew. A feeder route joined in, and suddenly, we were a joyful parade rolling towards school. Bells rang, Bike Worcester Radio (yes – such a thing exists!) rang out, and passers-by whipped out phones to capture the moment. 

Experienced marshals stopped traffic with ease, allowing the convoy to pass safely and smoothly. We really were reclaiming the streets, if only for a few glorious minutes.

At the school gates, children gathered to trade stickers; always a highlight! We were delighted to hear that Cycle Sprog stickers were particularly sought after (something to do with them being rectangular rather than round!)

The only negative incident was when one driver was unable to contain her rage when she had to stop to let a large group of people riding bikes pass by on the narrow residential street close to the school. What a strange reaction considering how much her journey would have been delayed had all the parents been doing the school run in individual cars! 

Bike Bus Summit day 2

Over 150 people gathered in Cathedral Square for a celebratory photo, with local radio there to capture the energy of the morning. 

From there, the event moved to Worcester’s grand Guildhall for a series of inspiring keynote speeches.

The summit’s formal session was opened by local MP Tom Collins, who regularly volunteers on the Nunnery Wood Primary School Bike Bus. Imagine if every MP rode their child or grandchild to school, how different might our roads look?

The keynote speakers included:

• Sarah Mitchell, CEO of Cycling UK
• Phil Jones, Co-author of the UK government’s transformative Gear Change and LTN 1/20 cycling infrastructure guidance
• Sam Balto, CEO of Bike Bus World (a non-profit organisation helping communities establish Bike Buses) and PE teacher from Boston, USA

From their talks came so many powerful takeaways including:

• A Bike Bus can start with just two families.
• Don’t compare your Bike Bus with the massive ones you see on social media – these are the exception rather than the rule, and all of them started small. 
• The power of Bike Buses is in the joy it brings to everyone involved.
• Working as a group is much more fun than acting solo.
• You don’t need permission to make your community better.
• Schools and councils can often be resistant to the idea of Bike Buses at first (partly as they worry it will involve their time and effort), but they can’t stop you cycling your child to school. 
• Bike Buses are amazing, but they’re a sticking plaster rather than a cure. What is really needed is investment in well designed, segregated infrastructure so children can ride to and from school safely every day.
• Decision makers often underestimate public support for walking and cycling because the opposition is often louder, not larger.
• Campaigners spend a lot of time trying to influence politicians and policy makers. Sometimes the most powerful thing to do is change the actions of the public. 

The emotional heart of the day belonged to the children themselves who had written a piece about what Bike Buses mean to them. 

It was very fitting that it took primary school children to remind us all exactly why this movement matters, and what’s at stake.

What a powerful source of hope!

These children, and every child who rides the Bike Bus to school, will grow up knowing the joy and freedom this brings.

As future voters, planners, and decision-makers, they’ll be the ones with the courage to prioritise people over cars, and reshape our roads and communities for the better.

The summit ended with the announcement that the fourth Global Bike Bus Summit will be held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The Bike Worcester team headed off for a well-deserved after party, the Lisbon delegation to start making plans for 2026, and everyone else to continue to spread the joy of Bike Buses in their communities. 

The momentum is growing. The question is: will you be part of it?

Credits

Huge credit must go to Bike Worcester, the brilliant group of volunteers that organised the entire summit. They brought together an inspiring, inclusive and impeccably run event that left everyone buzzing with ideas and optimism. 

Leading the charge were Rob and Katie Collier, whose energy, warmth and commitment were the heartbeat of the summit. Their hard work, and that of the wider Bike Worcester team, made the whole two days not only possible but truly unforgettable. 

Thank you to all the Bike Bus Summit participants whose photos have illustrated this article.