Pedal on Parliament protests planned across Scotland this weekend to boost cycle safety

The events are to lobby for cycle safety. Picture: Iona Shepherd

It follows seven years of lobbying Holyrood with a mass cycle ride in the capital to urge more spending on cycling.

School "bike buses", fancy dress rides, human bike lanes, and a hunt for Edinburgh’s "most ridiculous" bike lane are among 20 events being staged between Friday and Sunday.

Organiser Sally Hinchcliffe said: “This year we want to take the battle to local authorities to highlight the sort of issues our supporters face every day in just trying to get about by bike.

Pedal on Parliament activities are being held across Scotland between Friday and Sunday. Picture: Pedal on Parliament

"While the Scottish Government has started to increase investment in active travel, many local authorities are falling behind, and whether you can cycle safely or not is becoming a postcode lottery.

"With climate change now becoming an urgent issue, we need to change the way we travel, and that means changes to enable cycling everywhere, with safe cycle routes away from cars.”

Pop-up coordinator Iona Shepherd said: "When we put out a call for creative protests, we were hopeful we might get a few good ideas - but we’ve been blown away by the response, with 20 events planned across the country.

"It’s not just established campaign groups that are taking part but individuals - parents and commuters who just want to be able to cycle safely with their families and get home from work alive."

Human bike lanes are being staged at 8:30am on Friday at Forrest Road in Edinburgh and at 2pm outside Riddrie Library in Cumbernauld Road in Glasgow.

Parents are urged to collect their children by bike from Crown Primary School in Inverness, arriving from 2:50pm.

On Saturday, bike lane "actions" are scheduled for Causewayhead Road in Stirling at 8am, Howard Street/St Enoch Square in Glasgow at 10am and Ayr Road at Whitecraigs Station in Newton Mearns at 3:30pm.

"Jelly Baby" bike lanes take place at Morrison Street in Edinburgh at 10am.

There will be a "superhero" ride at Kings Park in Dalkeith at noon.

That will be followed by a "chicane challenge" at the junction of North Meadow Walk and Middle Meadow Walk in the Meadows in Edinburgh at 1:30pm.

Other events include a symbolic "finishing" of the incomplete Bears Way segregated cycle path at Burnmouth Place, Hillfoot, Bearsden at 2pm

On Sunday, a protest will be held at the lack of cycling and crossing provision at the Westland Drive roundabout at the west end of Victoria Park in Glasgow at 10am.

At 11am, a "Hoover-protected bike lane" is scheduled for Main Street in Cambuslang outside the station.

At the same time, a "mad cow" ride takes lace in Dock Park, Dumfries, and a mass ride through Aberdeen city centre from Marischal College.

At 1pm, there will be a mass ride and picnic at Slessor Gardens near the V&A Museum in Dundee.