PUPILS and parents at an Abingdon school are celebrating their success in bidding for funds to replace six worn out cycle sheds.

The Department of Transport has allocated £23,000 to the John Mason School to support the school's travel plan, which aims to the cut the number of children arriving by car.

The plans include measures to improve cycle parking for staff and visitors, encouragement for adults not to use their cars to get to school, and detailed surveys to discover why people prefer private transport.

Sue Ellis, who chairs the John Mason Association, said: "We put all the money we raised from last year's raffle towards this project.

"The student council raised money from talent shows, discos and non-uniform days. "Our total of £6,500 allowed us to bid for Government money."

The cycle sheds were built over 40 years ago, when John Mason was founded as a grammar school. Richard Grimshaw, one of the original association members who set up the project, said: "They're way out of date.

"The grooves are too narrow for modern bike wheels, and people have been reluctant to come to school by bike for fear of damage. The money will allow for the new Sheffield stands familiar to Oxford cyclists, which are more suitable for locking to a frame with a D lock."

Headteacher Jeremy Cunningham said: "We've upgraded our plans to make it clearer that a major aim is to reduce car traffic and pollution in this area.

"We're also worried about the increase in childhood obesity, and want our students to feel good about taking exercise."