The government provided the pilot Ride2School program, rolled out by the Bicycle Network of Tasmania, with $100,000 funding for 2016. 

The Bicycle Network’s Tasmanian advisor Garry Bailey said they have been trying to secure a funding commitment to continue the program for months. 

“Our frustration is for the last six months we’ve been writing letters, I’ve been discussing it at the ministerial level … talking to advisors, meetings promised to talk about it, resolve it and get a decision,” he said. 

The Bicycle Network has submitted a report to the government on the outcomes of the program in 2016.

“That report is being evaluated in terms of the Program’s road safety benefits, delivery and its ongoing sustainability, enabling the Government to make a decision on possible future funding,” minister for infrastructure Rene Hidding said. 

But Mr Bailey said time is running out and they need a decision “today”.

“We certainly need to know by the end of the term so we can start planning [for next year],” he said. 

“No one’s come back to us after our [report] to say, ‘I’m sorry it doesn't work, we don’t think the money is well spent’ there’s no feedback at all on that.

“We think it’s hard to argue against a doubling of the number of children riding to school as a result of the program,” Mr Bailey said, adding that 90 schools are now participating across the state. Just on Friday, Youngtown Primary joined the program. 

The government was asked if there was a timeframe on the funding decision. 

Mr Bailey said if they don’t have a decision soon they will have to begin looking elsewhere. 

“We want to continue so we’re going to have to try and chase funding from elsewhere and that’s a big ask,” he said. 

Mr Bailey said the program is the, “perfect way of helping deliver preventive health measures in schools where it matters most, where you can change behaviour in the long term.

“It ticks all the boxes governments usually want to tick and we can't get an answer.”