A BROMLEY police initiative to tackle overcrowding on a school bus route by getting pupils to cycle has scooped a top prize.

Operation School Bike was set up to address travel issues affecting Charles Darwin School in Biggin Hill.

It saw the Jail Lane school being given 30 unclaimed bikes from the police property store to loan out to students for cycling to and from school.

For the third time in four years, Bromley police won the top travel prize at the Problem Orientated Partnerships awards at New Scotland Yard.

Officers picked up a certificate, trophy and £1,000 to invest in community transport projects in the borough.

PC Darren Barlow from Bromley police's safer transport team said: "I am really pleased at the recognition that this initiative has received as, in addition to the obvious health benefits to the students, it demonstrates all elements of the community coming together to solve a problem.

"We all know that the roads get packed with vehicles at school times and here we have the local police, a local school, a local company, the local authority and TfL all working together and coming up with a brilliant and sensible solution to the problem.

"Cycling is one of the healthiest and greenest ways of getting around and we are looking to extend this initiative to equip even more schools and students in Bromley with their own method of transport, reducing traffic in and around our schools and supporting the Mayor of London's cycling revolution."