While the Council is working on their bid to host the Grand Départ for the Tour De France in 2017, they are also looking at other ways of spending the promised 5% of their Transport budget wisely, and in ways which will encourage more cycling in Edinburgh.
One of these ways is to support the Sky Ride Local events which the Culture and Leisure Committee will be recommended to do tomorrow when they meet. The Sky Rides programme has already been used with great success in Dublin and Glasgow, and many other cities, when they closed off streets in the city to allow safe cycling for families, in an attempt to encourage more people to take it up. There is usually some entertainment on offer too, making for a fun day out.
In view of the potholes and rough surfaces in Edinburgh it is often difficult to persuade people that they could cycle safely in the city, so these events could be a good way of at least trying to open up city cycling to all.
The Sky Rides are in two parts. There is the Sky Ride City which Sky will pay for in full, and there is also the Sky Ride Local programme which is not without cost to the council, as it is being asked to approve the sum of £29,500 for the first year, planned to be taken out of Transport and the Culture and Sport Activcity budgets. In subsequent years it will be £23,000 according to the report brought before the meeting tomorrow. Sky will undertake all the promotion of the events however, perhaps ensuring that the y will be well supported.
The first Sky Ride City event in Edinburgh will take place on 8 September in Holyrood Park, through Duddingston and along the Innocent Railway path. (We hope it takes the downhill route!) The separate Sky Ride Local programme is running now on each Sunday until the end of September. The Reporter is taking part in the one which is scheduled for this weekend, and which goes out as far as Hopetoun Estate, but there are other easier versions to sign up for. There are more details on the Sky Ride website.
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