The next cycle ride to highlight the need for a safe cycling environment for women will be held on 11 March.
The InfraSisters will lead the next night ride which is being held in the same week as International Women’s Day. The Our Streets Our Nights ride will depart from Middle Meadow Walk at 7.30pm, will be around an hour long, and will involve a circuit around the historic centre. Cyclists are encouraged to dress up, light up their bikes, and say it with flowers. While the ride will be led by women, everyone is welcome to attend.
In December last year, to mark the UN’s 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, women in Edinburgh led a Light Up The Night cycle ride to highlight the urgent need for cycling infrastructure that is safe and comfortable for women and girls at night.
More than 170 people from across the city came on the ride that was organised, led, and marshalled by women. In good humour, ringing our bells, with our bikes adorned in fairy lights, we created a carnival atmosphere as we cycled through the city, riding along iconic streets, and passing the Castle, Arthur’s Seat, and The Scottish Parliament. Cargo bikes were lit up like sleighs, and carried children, music, and hot drinks. Despite the cold and Covid, the city centre was busy with Friday night revellers, and we were greeted with friendly waves and toots from pedestrians and drivers. The little girls at the front of the ride shouted instructions to the riders behind, and the volunteer marshalls kept us all safe at junctions. It was an empowering, celebratory event, especially for the women who had never felt safe enough to cycle in Edinburgh at night on their own. For an hour the streets were ours to share and enjoy.
Sadly, some women didn’t attend as there was just no safe route for them to get to the start of the ride. We are determined to improve cycling infrastructure in the city so that women and girls can cycle without fear whenever and wherever they want. We have rebranded with this in mind.
We are now the InfraSisters – cycling for safe streets.
As with the previous ride, the InfraSisters are calling on all councillors in Edinburgh to:
- prioritise safe and comfortable on-road cycle infrastructure, protected from traffic or off-carriageway, on well-lit direct routes
- provide well-signed routes which are permeable and always have a way out, not fenced/ walled on both sides, and with good connections to other streets
- provide routes which use natural surveillance where possible, for example streets with high footfall.
We hope to see many councillors on the ride, too.
You can sign up to the ride via Eventbrite or Facebook or turn up on the night. Follow @InfraSisters on Twitter for updates and more.
The InfraSisters call for:
* The prioritisation of safe and comfortable cycle infrastructure, protected or off-carriageway, on well-lit direct routes.
* Well-signed routes which are permeable and always have a way out, not fenced/ walled on both sides, and with good connections to other streets.
* Routes which use natural surveillance where possible, for example streets with high footfall.
If you have signed up for this event on facebook, please do not sign up again here.
You can attend without signing up but it will be helpful for the organisers if we have a rough idea of how many people are planning to attend. This helps us with marshalling etc.
We will send out a briefing for the ride in the Eventbrite email reminders so please keep an eye out for them.
We look forward to seeing you on the night.