Grassroots groups helping city reduce number of cars on roads

Over the last few months Lorna Slater has enjoyed working with groups like the Cargo Bike Movement (Picture: Cargo Bike Movement/Thomas Whittle)

The city is crying out for stronger leadership to face our climate and nature crises, social inequalities such as homelessness and prioritising of sustainable transport over private vehicles.

It’s not just in our parliament and in the city chambers where these important discussions are taking place.

On the periphery of the politics bubble there are hundreds of selfless and hardworking volunteers and organisations that are delivering grassroots change across our city to address these problems. Last week I paid a visit to Portobello’s Promenade where Porty Community Energy’s E-Cargo Bike Library lives – look out for the Teal shipping container.  

It is a community organisation that is focused on reducing carbon emissions and helping the community transition to low carbon living.

They are also helping to host the Travel Agents of Change Exhibition which shares the stories of local people who decided not to take the cheap flight to their holiday destination and stayed in Scotland or chose slower and greener ways to travel.

Over the last few months, I have enjoyed working with groups like the Cargo Bike Movement, the Bike Station and others to better understand how they are working towards our city’s climate and safety targets.

I’m grateful to Tom, Naomi, the rest of the team and volunteers who have helped to deliver surplus food to those in need while tirelessly promoting cycling and other forms of active travel to get around our city.

This is why steps like the Low Emission Zone and the pavement parking ban have been so crucial, but we also have to back that up with more active travel infrastructure and support for those grassroots organisations that are making a difference.

We should all reflect on transport choices and what we can do to make our communities, local businesses and neighbourhoods safer and greener for all.

Our city is growing at a rate that services can’t keep up with. The answers are out there but the support and engagement must remain meaningful, and they must be backed up with investment and resources.

Governments and bodies at all levels have a responsibility to create fairer, greener, and healthier communities.

We cannot solve the climate and environmental crises alone, but we all have a stake in our communities. We can all do our bit to help lower emissions and ensure cleaner air, greener spaces and safer streets.

Lorna Slater is co-leader of the ​Scottish Greens