On Saturday the fourteenth Pedal on Parliament took place since the ride began in 2012. More than a thousand cyclists from all over Scotland took part, as the government has not yet responded positively to POP’s demands made 14 years ago.
And yet, almost every speaker at Pedal on Parliament (POP) said how glad they were to be there speaking to the crowd at the end of the ride on closed roads to make it safe for cyclists of all abilities from The Meadows to Parliament.
In 2012 POP demanded safer streets and a larger share of funding for active travel measures. Instead of more, the government has actually cut the funding for active travel.
In its manifesto published ahead of the election, POP demands a cycle-safe Scotland so that everyone can “reap benefits across public health, environmental outcomes and transport efficiency”.
The manifesto also demands that the parliament reinstates funding, redoubles efforts, redresses safety and repairs division.
Alex Robertson of POP said: “The Scottish government says cycling is their top priority – protected cycleways, sustainable type transport, active travel, top of the hierarchy.
“In 2021 they told us that we were going to get 10% of the transport budget by 2024 – real money. What do we get? 3.9%
“Is that good enough? We’re asking for 6% this year, 10% by the end of this term. Full stop. No hiding it in bus budgets. Be transparent, be accountable.”
At least three of the Scottish parliamentarians and one MP, Scott Arthur who also took part in the ride, are listening.The protest ride ended outside the Scottish Parliament, hearing from attending MSPs Kate Campbell, Patrick Harvie, and Sanne Dijkstra-Downie.
All politicians said that the words of Rose Marie Burke, the mother of Glasgow architect and cycle activist, Emma Burke Newman, who was tragically killed in January 2023 by the driver of an HGV that had encroached on an Advanced Stop Zone or ‘bike box’, would remain with them.
Mrs Burke said that she now promotes the work of Vision Zero : “The principle behind Vision Zero is that our societies should not accept death on the roads as inevitable. We no longer accept deaths in the skies or in the workplace as inevitable. Why the roads?
“Emma had a different vision. She dreamed of having a big family, three children to be exact, cycling them to school on a cargo bike. She saw herself living in a community where cycling is the norm, instead she had to cope with a world of unadapted infrastructure, distracted, careless, and dangerous drivers, as well as outdated lorries with huge blind spots.”
Kate Campbell who is also a councillor in Edinburgh is the newly elected MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent, She said that she had given up cycling as she was too scared to go out on the roads when the traffic reappeared after lockdown.
She said: “As a new member of the parliament who will be in that building over there, I want to say to Rose that your words will stay with me, and whenever I’m thinking about transport policy and the decisions that we make, then I will think about the words that you just shared with us today.”
Sanne Dijsktra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh North, said that as a Dutch national, she enjoyed a lot of freedom for cycling that she wishes her own children could enjoy here.
She said: “In Holland, most drivers are also cyclists, and many people who cycle also drive. There is much less of an us versus them attitude. When you learn to drive there, you learn to look out for bikes, looking out for bikes is an absolute priority that is drilled into you, and if it isn’t always here, it absolutely needs to be.”
Patrick Harvie, MSP, said: “I am privileged to be invited back to speak to Pedal on Parliament again, and I am one of those people who’s always treated cycling as normal everyday transport. I think one of the things that, for me in my job, I find most frequently is that I’m the one that arrives to meetings on time, while the people desperately trying to find a parking space, they’re the ones who are late.
“I arrive at meetings having had a sense of connection to the town, or the city, or the community that I’m moving through, making eye contact with people.”
Transport & Environment Convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, said: “Pedal on Parliament is an important election year event which showcases the importance of cycling and associated policy across our country. Here in Edinburgh, I’m proud that we’ve made real progress over the last few years with schemes like the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL), Roseburn to Union Canal, and the latest phase of Leith Connections making it easier for everyone to get around the city.
“The data here speaks for itself. When we invest in good, sustainable infrastructure then people will use it. I’m committed to continuing this positive work and I hope everyone participating today enjoyed themselves.”
Scott Arthur MP said: “I was proud to be taking part in Pedal on Parliament in Edinburgh today alongside so many people from my constituency. What struck me most was the sheer number of children involved. I’m not used to cycling surrounded by so many families, and that in itself maybe says something about Edinburgh.
“This year’s Pedal on Parliament comes at an interesting moment. Five years ago, after the last Holyrood election, we stood here with promises of reduced non‑essential car use across Scotland, increased investment in active travel, and world‑leading climate targets. By the end of that Parliament, those commitments had largely fallen away.
“Nonetheless, I remain an optimist. I’m hopeful that Scotland’s new government will show real leadership.”
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