More than a thousand pedal on Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh to demand safer streets
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More than a thousand people cycled from the meadows to the Scottish Parliament to demand safer streets for walkers and cyclists
More than a thousand cyclists rode through Edinburgh from the Meadows to the Scottish Parliament on Saturday to demand safer conditions for walking and cycling in Scotland.
Pedal on Parliament’s fourteenth action saw more than a thousand cyclists call for safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists.
The organisation’s manifesto demands action on a wide range of interventions for cycling and road safety, ranging from adequate funding allocation and building on the successes of protected infrastructure already built, to calls for greater enforcement powers for police to tackle unsafe driving, and presumed liability for motorists in the event of collisions.
Concluding outside of the Scottish Parliament, members from across the political spectrum leant their support to the calls for greater accountability.
Kate Campbell, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent, said: “I want to say a huge thank you to POP for organising such a wonderful event and to everyone who attended today and sent a very clear message to our parliament.
“As someone who is not a cyclist, but wants to be, I know just how important it is that we make our streets safe for cycling. And I will work hard over this parliament so everyone like me, who really wants the joy of cycling but just doesn't have the confidence, can cycle safely on our streets.”
Also speaking at the event was 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’.
She said: “Emma had a different kind of 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she had to cope with a world of unadapted infrastructure, distracted, careless and dangerous drivers, as well as outdated lorries with huge blind spots. In her case, the drivers of the lorries and buses in the three lanes across the George V bridge at the light had breached the bike boxes, the advanced stop lines. It proved to be fatal.”
The junction in Glasgow where Emma was killed has now been made safer; but speakers observed that the issue of failing to keep bike boxes clear continues to be a safety issue on Scotland’s roads, amongst many other dangerous driving behaviours that largely go unenforced.
For the City of Edinburgh Council, 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.”
Dr Scott Arthur, MP for Edinburgh South West took part in the mass ride, and said he was “proud to be taking part in Pedal on Parliament” and noted the number of children and families involved.
He continued: “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.”