It's total gridlock, man. Driving in downtown Dublin can be hell on wheels, testing the skills of many an adult, not to mind schoolchildren. This is all set to change.

If Dublin Corporation has its way, newly trained school-going cyclists will be whirring their way to a cycle-lane near you soon, following the opening of a 100km cycle network in the city.

So you have the gear - the shorts, the helmet, the gloves and the latest bike - but it's not as easy to acquire the skills, the knowledge and the theory to cope with rush-hour traffic?

A training programme will be introduced to schools over the next few weeks, allowing children to learn about where, when and how cycling accidents occur. The pack, which includes a tutor's guide aimed at teachers, along with a series of colourful wall-charts and posters, will be sent to all schools in the Dublin Corporation area shortly.

The classroom-based skills/ theory programme includes off and on-road practical riding stages. According to Owen Keegan, director of traffic at Dublin Corporation, over 20,000 schoolchildren have already undergone cycle training at Clontarf's Traffic Education School.

"The new programme will allow us to link up directly with teachers and parents to provide the necessary skills to many more children in the city," he says.