http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Tag: I - Recent Topics en Sun, 31 May 2026 06:45:04 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21485#post-373962 Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:52:28 +0000 chdot 373962@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53579863798_c24f2f391a.jpg"></p> <p><em>This image is from the second, 2014, Pedal on Parliament (PoP) when THOUSANDS of people turned out to protest, demonstrate and lobby politicians, primarily at Holyrood.<br /> </em><br /> Without people brought together by CCE, PoP wouldn’t have happened. </p> <p>Before the first ride, organisers were nervously hoping a few hundred would come. </p> <p>So they were shocked/exhilarated to see about 2000 people with bicycles!</p> <p>PoP definitely changed things, with politicians changing opinions and raising ‘active travel’ budgets. </p> <p>But still sticking with ‘promises’ to widen the A9 and build a bridge on the bypass. </p> <p>At council level, Glasgow seems to have got unexpected enthusiasm for new cycle infrastructure. </p> <p>Meanwhile councillors in Edinburgh have voted to remove a small bit of AT infrastructure which, if it doesn’t change the plan (again), will mean taking money from projects ‘in the pipeline’ and building unnecessary (and largely unwanted) <em>cycle</em> infrastructure NOT on a main/arterial route. </p> <p>Of course improvements for people who cycle/want to cycle in Edinburgh would be even worse/non-existent without 47 1/2 years of Spokes. </p> <p>It’s truly amazing the work that has been done by this group (and it continues) all without any staff EVER. (It has attracted funding for various projects -some of which I have been involved in, including The Bike Station). </p> <p>PoP was always an addition/complement to Spokes, not a criticism. There’s only so much a small group of volunteers can do!</p> <p>After a few years of only slight progress (a lot due to the unexpected/tragic intervention of Covid) <em>and</em> much greater awareness of ‘climate’ and health (particularly mental) it’s perhaps not surprising that some people are <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=21481#post-373945">thinking of ‘retiring’ from cycle campaigning in Edinburgh</a>. </p> <p>Obviously personal choice. </p> <p>Anyone involved in any sort of campaigning is aware of the effort involved and the toll it can take - if only by taking up time. For many people, circumstances change and ‘free’ time is no longer available. </p> <p>It’s also dispiriting when ‘progress’ seems to stall/hit a brick wall. ESPECIALLY when (it would seem) it’s more about Party politics than improving things for people living in Edinburgh. </p> <p>There will be no PoP this year, mostly because there are (apparently) not enough people willing/able to do the work required to make it happen. </p>