to think that this might go some way to sorting the school run problem?

[Dontsshme]

Would you use one of these if it didn't cost you anything? Assume no outlay and the school gets a subsidy or at the very least some good publicity?

OMG no. I live in a ruralish area & these would be a nightmare. They would slow all the traffic down to cycling pace & those of us who have to do the school run on the way to work would probably all go into cardiac arrest! Although, that would of course help to solve the problem. Also on bendy country lanes, if I were cycling one, I'd be terrified of being hit by a car.

FWIW, I think it is a shame that so many of our roads are not cyclist friendly and there aren't more cycle lanes, but until there are - those get a definite no from me.

Keen as I am (and I would try it!), I don't think it would work as a public cycle scheme. Where would they be stored? Covered? How would they be protected from vandalism overnight? Given the responses on this thread, it seems that a very small minority of parents would try it, and for a public scheme to work, there have to be enough cycles, quickly accessible enough, near enough to the house (and school), that you save time by doing it, and are 99% sure to find one when you and your DC get to them in the morning. So that's a LOT of cycles to provide over a large area, for a minority of parents who would try them... Then you have to factor in getting them back to where they need to be periodically, since some poeple will use them at drop-off and not pick-up so it won't be symmeteric (Barclay's do this, I know), maintaining them... And to get people to use them you'd need to have changes in traffic patterns on the routes you'd want them on - otherwise people wouldn't feel (or be!) safe. Two-wheelers would be better than trikes- easier to balance (oddly enough, I know), and they'd fit better on existing cycle paths.
What might work better would be public cycles, Barclay style, with child seats, even like the Brompton ones that go on the mid-frame, or rear ones. If these were available near us I'd use them all the time, especially if they managed also to have helmets (carrying 2 helmets everywhere all day would be a huge deterrent), and even better, if there were more dedicated cycle routes without interference from traffic.

Lucky for me, DS is at a primary school that is 1 minute's walk away in the next street.

DD is at a secondary school about 1.5 miles away. She walks with her friends, or she gets a lift from a parent of one of these friends.

Yes if I didn't have to go up very steep moors on a road where drivers drive like idiots.

MiaowTheCat - we'd all love that, sadly we didn't get into our local school

I don't think you could keep them clean enough for people to use in a 'boris bike' type scheme - and also, families need them at home to start their morning journey so would you be talking some kind of long term hire instead?

I am a cyclist (happily still riding but on slower and quieter routes at 7 months pregnant). My dutch friend is giving me a 'weeride' bike seat for between my arms when my LO starts nursery at just over 6mo (unless he's very small in which case we'll have to walk for a couple of months). The Dutch prefer these front seats to back seats so I'm prepared to go with their superior experience in this matter.

I would advocate lots of 'bike and seat and trailer trial days' at school events - let people actually try all the options themselves at every fete or sports day. And foster an active market in second hand seats/trailers/tagalongs within the school community. It is hard to know what to buy/try when most are only availalbe online and evans / halfords type shops are terrible at advising.
Finally i'd have every school start training kids in bike handling from as soon as they can ride... as an afterschool club perhaps?
If you can access funding then i'd spend it on the training, for adults and children, and on buying a wide selection of sample seats/trailers/tagalongs for people to try out.

Very cute indeed. If I could get four children in though I would not be strong enough to pedal it up hills.

I'm coveting one of these, they are so much fun, and they go up the steep devon hills there a craze for them down here at the moment,

quite a few of the teens have them, it real feels very retro sci fi riding one, I spent my childhood dreaming of inventing one, and spent hours trying to jet propel my boards, then got into hovercrafts,

In fact all the adult skaters around here are very green with envy, when they zoom past.

I'm really hoping they come down in price soon, so i can justify getting one.