After 4,000 cyclists rode on the Scottish parliament last year, cyclists of voting and non-voting age are being encouraged to ride again to spur the government into action on improving cycling infrastructure and safety in Scotland. The riders also hope to encourage politicians to keep alive its target of 10% of journeys by bike by 2020 - currently only around 1.6% of people ride to work by bike.
Champion cyclist Graeme Obree will lead the third mass protest ride from The Meadows to the parliament building at Holyrood to call on politicians to support the PoP manifesto for safer cycling. The ride will commence following a minute's silence to remember those killed on Scotland's roads. Last year saw 12 cyclists killed in Scotland, the highest number for several years.
In spite of the serious message, the organisers say the event will be a fun day out for all the family, with a picnic at the end. The pace will be slow and easy for people to keep up – however little their legs may be.
Says the website:
All you really need to bring is yourself (oh and every single person you know) – you don’t even need a bike, as the ‘ride’ will be at walking pace. However, here are some suggestions of things that might help on the day. Please note that in order to reduce potential overcrowding, we will be asking people to leave their bikes in a marshalled parking area which will be set up at the Parliament building. We’ll do our best to make sure your bike is safe on the day but do remember to bring a lock.