Last Friday was National Ride2School Day when kids and families across New South Wales opted to ditch the car and ride their bikes to school.

Encouraging more kids and families to ride is not just about harking back to the good old days.

It will also have a real impact on safety, health and the environment for our kids, as well as reducing congestion on our roads.

Only 23 per cent of kids meet the national physical activity guidelines and encouraging them to get on their bikes means they will get healthier and have a whole new generation of experiences that I know some people who are listening believe we should never have lost.

There is a real economic benefit also. As Bicycle NSW has said that every kilometre cycled has a $1.40 benefit to the public health system.

The cost of congestion in Sydney is set to skyrocket and if we remove just 5 per cent of all car trips under five kilometres we could increase traffic speeds by up to 50 per cent.

That means the school holiday effect on our roads 365 days a year.

I congratulate the Bicycle Network and all the students, families and schools that took part in National Ride2School Day.