20 protest groups to take to Scottish streets requesting cycling investment

Protesters will take to the streets in twenty different locations across Scotland, calling upon politicians to increase cycling spend and improve traffic law for bike riders.

Campaign group 'Pedal on Parliament' (POP) has organised the protest events, taking place from Aberdeen to Dumfries over the weekend from April 26 to 28.

The twenty local protests are an alternative to the one event the group has organised in Holyrood in the past.

The group wants to ask Scotland's politicians to sign up to an eight point manifesto which will make Scotland a cycle friendly country for people of all ages and abilities.

The campaigners are asking for 10 per cent of the transport budget to be spent on cycling, for better road traffic law and enforcement and for cycling to be built into transport strategies.

Each local protest group will also request action from their authorities.

For example, those taking part in the 'BikeLane MEANS BikeLane' protest in Glasgow will draw attention to "daily illegal" parking in bike lanes, and the lack of action taken to prevent the behaviour.

Attendees at the 'Jelly Baby Lanes' event in Edinburgh will extend the unfinished 'Bears Way' cycle route with teddy bears, asking the local council to complete the all-abilities cycleway, 'Beards Way', which was meant to run from Milngavie to Glasgow.

Organiser Iona Shepherd told i-News: “With the recent increase in the active travel budget (which we do still need increased further) this year we are looking to local councils to show them what they can do to improve conditions for people cycling in their areas.

“Many barriers to cycling can be easily fixed and so we aim to point some of those out with our creative protests.

“Our councils really need to start walking the active travel talk we are hearing from them, and we’d like to see them translate that onto our road to make cycling a safe way to get around for everyone, of all ages and abilities.”