The number of pupils cycling to Sandhills Primary School in Oxford has soared since the recent roadworks started on the A40 so it is just as well it has a brand new £20,000 shed to store all the bikes.

Governors have worked for five years to secure funding for the shelters through the Better Ways to School initiative.

Only a handful of children were regularly cycling to school a few weeks ago. Now about five times that number are choosing two wheels instead of four.

Work started last month on a £3.75m project to redesign the Green Road roundabout in Headington.

It is part of a major series of roadworks on the A40 that will continue until the end of this year.

A combination of heavy road congestion, warm weather and the secure cycle sheds has coaxed parents out of their cars and governors hope it will become a habit.

David Hawkins, vice-chairman of the governing body, who coordinated the funding bid, said: "Encouraging children to cycle to school is a good thing for their health and road congestion.

"More people are cycling in because of the roadworks but now that parents know we have good facilities, that should encourage them even more."

The school developed a travel plan to come up with ways to encourage more children to walk and cycle to school.

As part of the project, a cycle path was installed between the A40 and the school last year with £8,000 funding from the Better Ways to School programme.

Kirsty Warner, nine, who is among the children who started cycling to school last week, is pleased that she has a safe place to store her beloved bike. She said: "It's not very far to cycle but I like my bike and I like cycling to school on it."

The bike shelters were formally opened at a ceremony for pupils and parents on Friday.

Headteacher Joe Johnson said: "We have waited a long time for this. I'm so pleased that so many children are now cycling to school.

"We've now got some of the best cycle shelters in the whole county just like we've got the best school building in the whole county."