The Pedal on Parliament campaign rode again today in Edinburgh with at least a thousand people taking part in the protest cycle from Chambers Street to Holyrood where people made passionate speeches.
There were cyclists of all ages and all kinds of bikes were used. Some cyclists had travelled from Dumfries and others from Glasgow who were friends of the 22-year-old Emma Burke Newman, who was killed while cycling in Glasgow city centre earlier this year.
A feeder ride bringing a group of people on bikes from Glasgow was dedicated to Emma’s memory, and paused on their route to Edinburgh beside the white bike laid in her memory on the Broomielaw. Emma’s parents were not in Scotland and could not attend the event, but sent their support with the following message: “We hope this year brings swift changes to infrastructure and awareness that will make Scotland a leader in cycling and active transport. That would complement the country’s natural beauty, something that really captivated Emma.”
In an emotional speech, Shellie Holubek, a friend of Emma’s family, spoke to the crowd as the cycling protestors gathered outside Parliament saying “To think that Emma’s light has been extinguished is more than all of us who loved her can bear. That someone who was so committed to place-making and the possibilities of more equitable, beautiful, and inclusive cities is dead because of road design that is neither equitable, nor beautiful, nor inclusive is a searingly painful irony. That she died on her bike a cruel injustice.
“No one in Emma’s entourage of much-loved friends and family wants to be here next year listening to another bereaved person tell you why the person they lost was so special and amazing and irreplaceable and unjustly taken from all of us.
“So in Emma’s name, today we call on elected officials, city and town planners, transportation authorities, cycling activists and indeed every road user to recommit to safer streets for all as outlined in the Pedal on Parliament manifesto.”
Ewen Maclean, a school bike bus organiser from Blackford Safe Routes said: “For the next generation it is vital we provide safe ways of navigating our cities in healthy, sustainable ways, which produce such enormous economic, health and social benefits.”.
Also speaking was his daughter Edith Maclean (10) accompanied by her sister Elspeth (7) and friend Sophia (7) who spoke about how she wanted to be able to feel safe on her way to school, and how much she loves riding her bike, but wishes drivers would drive more safely around her.
Kirsty Lewin of Infrasisters a women’s cycling campaign group said: ““Too many women and girls who would cycle are not doing so because there’s no safe cycling infrastructure where they live and or where they want to go.”
Alan Myles, who was knocked off his bike in a hit-and-run but did not receive justice, despite video evidence and witnesses. He said “A legal system with no consequences for dangerous driving is not fit for purpose but is what we currently have and I am calling for a change Scots law to assist the police and in turn for reporting to be made significantly easier.”
We only spotted three politicians among the many riders: Patrick Harvie, Sarah Boyack and Cllr Chas Booth (although Cllr Danny Aston has tweeted a photo showing that he was there with Cllrs Vicky Nicholson, Ben Parker, Jule Bandel and Martha Mattos Coelho). Cllr Jack Caldwell also tweeted his presence on the Leith feeder ride. It is the politicians who are asked to listen to the demands for safer active travel.
Patrick Harvie, the Minister for Active Travel, asked that those attending become leaders in their local communities and help drive change. He said to The Edinburgh Reporter ahead of the ride: “I am really happy to be back at Pedal on Parliament – it’s been a regular fixture, and it’s always a really joyful event. And in the last couple of years, I’ve had the chance to talk about the huge increase in investment that we’re making in active travel around Scotland.
“It’s going to reach 10% of the entire transport budget for the first time next year, it’s been going up year on year. And it does take time to make that difference. We’re going to have to re-engineer huge amounts of towns and city centres right across Scotland. And we’re going to have to help local authorities scale up, get the skills and experience that they need to get good quality projects through – well designed and then get them implemented. So we’re keen to make that difference. But it has to be long term investment.”
His Green colleague at The Scottish Parliament, Mark Ruskell MSP said it is not a good look for Police Scotland that they have not yet set up a portal for any road user to upload footage and report bad driving or cycling by anyone else, “Especially given that Police Scotland were funded by The Scottish Parliament to deliver the portal”.
Sarah Boyack MSP for Lothian has a relatively new bike. She explained: “It took me a while because so may people were buying bikes during lockdown. I think for me that cycling to work on a daily basis keeps me fit and healthy so it is making sure that our roads feel safer and that we tackle potholes – real basic stuff – so that people can feel safe again. Pedal on Parliament is a great way to celebrate cycling in the region. I love seeing the mix of ages and stages. So it is good to be here and to support expanding our bike network so that so that everybody gets that opportunity to cycle whether to work, to go shopping or just to go out and have fun.”
Sally Hinchcliffe from the campaign said: “When we started Pedal on Parliament in 2012 with the support of the father and stepmother of Andrew McNicoll, killed on the streets of Edinburgh, we didn’t think we’d still need to be here, over a decade later, standing in solidarity with the parents of another young cyclist killed on the streets of a Scottish city. Much has changed in that time, but so much remains to be done, and every moment’s delay risks more injuries and more bereavements.”
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
