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PoP16

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "Wester's and Hailes's parents seem to have been captured by the SNP for a generation anyway."

    Perhaps - though "generation" seems to have telescoped down to meaning 'not as long as it used to'!

    (As always) we live in interesting times.

    The outcome of the imminent election is 'certain' - the SNP will get the most seats.

    The outcome of the in/out Ref less so.

    If out, what the Scottish Government wants/does will be irrelevant for a while.

    I actually expect a UK wide "Stay" vote.

    In which case the SNP will be stuck with delivering its promises with less Westminster cash plus a reluctance to raise tax (it really doesn't have that much scope), make difficult decisions on fracking (etc.) - so unlikely to be an easy five years.

    At which point the more fickle voters may go all UK and say 'give someone else a chance'...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. Rosie
    Member

    `@chdot

    Agree that "generation" is now a malleable term, depending on what's politically convenient. Cf "treating a result with respect".

    Hope the SNP wave won't carry away some good cycling supporting councillors at the local elections. Local politics are more relevant to cycling infrastructure anyway.

    I spoke to an old Spokes member yesterday who now lives in Fife. He said Fife bad, Clackmmannan good on cycling. Just like Boris Johnson, good, other Tory local politicians bad. Unless it's all Greens it seems to be hit and miss and often dependent on the sympathies of individual councillors.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    and not even all the greens. many of them are reluctant to be stereo-typed as sandal-wearing cyclists. In glasgow the lead green candidate for the West of Scotland list has refused to engage with the Friends of Bear's Way and been extremely unreceptive to those of us who've tried to engage him.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    Fife feeder ride

    https://flic.kr/p/GxR3gK

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. Rosie
    Member

    @SRD - oh, that's bad. I get the sense that Green is less Green than it was and is a bolt-hole for the left.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. Roibeard
    Member

    I hadn't realised that there were no unfeeder rides as I joined the back of a large Harrison Park group as they were heading back on the Park to Meadows route.

    Robert

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. Kim
    Member

    Thanks to everyone who came to PoP, numbers do make a difference. Also important is that PoP is not just an Edinburgh thing, people came from across Scotland (and some from outwith Scotland).

    You only have to look at the difference in the party manifestos from the last election, before PoP started, to this election to realise that Active Travel is now on the national agenda. Yes progress in getting meaningful change is slow, but it has been that way until you reach a tipping point. Have we reached that tipping point? Only time will tell.

    Just remember we Walk we Cycle and we (should all) VOTE.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. Morningsider
    Member

    A fantastic day all round - very well organised, lots of happy people. The highlight for me was the woman with the running trike who joined in at the foot of the Canongate - very inspiring.

    Anyway, a hearty "well done" to all the organisers.

    As for the future - I think that PoP should keep its current form. 32 local authority rides would not have anything like the same effect - visually at least, which is what the media love about this event.

    Is PoP too middle class? Nothing to worry about here - everyone is welcome to join in and everyone benefits from its success. Worth noting that the tram side cycle path and NEPN pass through some of the city's most deprived areas, so no-one is being excluded.

    In the new Parliament the SNP will be the only show in town. The Greens might get a committee convenership - if enough are elected. They might not get transport - they would probably be aiming at environment (usually a separate committee).

    The key matters will be the budget - doesn't look like much movement is planned, but the more pressure the better. There will also be a review of the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland. This could be significant - serious pressure needs to be applied here. It might even be worth mocking up what a "proper" version of CAPS could look like, based on international best practice.

    It isn't clear when the review might happen, and what form it will take (open consultation/working group etc.) These are obvious first questions for the incoming Government.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Sally Hinchcliffe (@sallyhinch)
    24/04/2016, 10:00 am
    Conductor on my train just saw my @POPScotland placard & said she'd have been there if she hadn't been on shift. Cheering!

    "

    Posted 8 years ago #

  10. firedfromthecircus
    Member

    @Rosie - Green is still Green and the Greens continue to be the party with the biggest desire for proper active travel infrastructure and tackling car culture to promote living streets. I'm happy to discuss the issue with anyone off board and constructive discussions regarding improvement to Green policy are welcome.

    @SRD - Having seen some of the discussion I think you might be being a little harsh on Mr Greer's position. Being one of Mr Wings least favorite people he does get a fair amount of abuse on twitter, so tends to filter most he does not follow out. He is a very bright young man and I expect he would be a great MSP if he gets the chance.

    Back to POP I just watched the STV news report from yesterday. Fantastic that it was the lead item and they included the other two leaders who weren't there talking about active travel. As Kim says there definitely seems to be much more awareness amongst the politicians that active travel is an important issue.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  11. SRD
    Moderator

    @firedfromthcircus - he was dismissive and rude, and had ignored many previous attempts by prospective constituents to get in touch.

    That's not a recommendation for a politician. these ought to be easy votes that he is losing.

    Not every good policy-wonk is also a good politician (I should know!)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The Transport Minister said “record” funding in active travel seen in recent years would be protected by a future SNP government.

    Mr Mackay said: “The SNP have put in place record investment in cycling and walking - and if re-elected we will continue to do so over the life of the next Parliament.

    “We’re determined to meet our vision of 10% of everyday journeys being made by bike by 2020 - in doing so, we need to explore what more we can do to improve the integration between active and public transport, and to make cycling more appealing to certain groups.”

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/thousands-of-cyclists-pedal-on-parliament-1-4109021

    Posted 8 years ago #

  13. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    "he.....had ignored many previous attempts by prospective constituents to get in touch"

    I'm afraid that's standard operating procedure for the Scottish Greens. I offered to canvass for Alison and (especially) Andy this month. No reply. Any competent political party would have jumped down the throat of an experienced campaigner offering free time.

    I told Andy what happened when I met him at PoP and he didn't seem shocked. The Greens are an affable shambles and need to develop a functioning skeleton soon if they're not to be swept aside by more ruthless outfits in short order.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  14. SRD
    Moderator

    mmmm...other greens were not impressed with Russ Greer' attitude and disregard of party policy, but said that because the party doesn't enforce party line/discipline, they couldn't say anything.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  15. Klaxon
    Member

    Derek Mackay's speech was brilliantly flat, honest and unspun especially for being immediately before the election. It made the party's line absolutely obvious, no new funding.

    Lesley and the greens it is

    Posted 8 years ago #

  16. jdanielp
    Member

    @IWRATS I've been a member of the SGP for a year and a half so far and experienced various communications failures along the way, not least of all a distinct lack of welcome when attending my first meeting. It definitely feels that the intentions are in the right place but not the admin.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  17. firedfromthecircus
    Member

    I promise I'll not post any more 'in defence' posts after this one, but the SGP went from being a tiny party where everyone knew each other and meetings happened in folks front rooms to a party of over 9000 in a very short space of time. It is not surprising that some of the functional aspects are struggling to catch up. New staff have been employed with the extra membership revenue, a structural review is on the cards and hopefully things will improve in time. Still the vast majority of people you have contact with though are volunteers. If you don't get the response the first time ask again, or ask someone else. If you want to canvass after a lovely cycle out to East Lothian IWRATS then I'm sure it could be arranged! And we would be happy to welcome you at a stall or meeting jdanielp. In fact, Haddington farmers market, next Saturday, 10-12. All welcome, and you can buy some organic honey to help fuel the ride home. ;-)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  18. sallyhinch
    Member

    You can probably (partially) thank the Greens for POP - it was after I attempted to volunteer for them during the last Holyrood elections and they were too disorganised to do anything about it that I decided it would be more effective to throw myself into single issue campaigning that would have more of an impact on the environment, & hence had time on my hands when Dave Brennan first floated the idea of riding on the Scottish parliament...

    Posted 8 years ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    A feeder ride passes through a 'notorious' junction -

    (Note policeman holding traffic.)

    https://flic.kr/p/G7dqL3

    Posted 8 years ago #

  20. Rosie
    Member

    @sallyhinch
    Greens' loss is cycling's gain.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  21. Rosie
    Member

    Also - I had the impression that a lot of the spectators were enjoying PoP. At least, tourists were taking photos.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    http://www.thenational.scot/comment/vonny-moyes-lets-face-it---cycling-has-an-image-problem.16720

    New thread for that article -

    http://www.citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16301

    Posted 8 years ago #

  23. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Joel Cooney (@joelcacooney)
    25/04/2016, 8:05 am
    Maybe I'm projecting a bit but it did seem like helmets and hi-viz were more noticable > @POPScotland @vonny_bravo @ScotNational

    "

    That was my impression too.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  24. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Ah, morningsider....I fully agree that no one at all is excluded from PoP. It's about as welcoming as any political activity could ever be which is perhaps its greatest joy.

    That said, when I try to put myself in the mindset of Scotland's decision makers I struggle to see how active travel can rise up my priority list unless the demand for it comes either from a very powerful group or from a very large group. My group - the shabby bien pensant Edinburgh bourgeoisie - is neither large nor especially powerful. I'd like to have the support of my fellow citizens in other groups where cycling doesn't come quite so naturally and I wonder if anyone has any ideas about how to interest them in PoP.

    The son of a friend of mine is currently cycling from Loanhead to Piershill every day to work as a grave digger. Bike off gumtree rather than the Bike Station (it's junk of course) and quite oblivious to PoP's existence. How do we get people like him on board?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  25. dougal
    Member

    My impression too, that there were more of the cyclists that I see every day on the roads, attired as I would see them on the roads.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  26. wingpig
    Member

    "That was my impression too."

    A count of this sort of thing could be approximated from photos and videos over the years, though even in April the weather has varied from baking/sunny to almost-raining nippy; the May edition may have had fewer zipped-up coats but from regular commuting we know that even in July some people can wear yellow/blue bike anoraks zipped up all the way to the neck even when they're cycling uphill.

    Wanting as high an attendance as possible aside, I hope that people who normally wear nonspecifics didn't feel they had to dress up in a cycling costume to be more visibly cyclisty during PoP, the same as I hope they don't feel the need to dress too cyclisty to cycle anywhere, like my parents when they've donned a high-viz tabard and reflective ankle bands just to roll gently along the prom and WoL.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  27. chdot
    Admin

    "How do we get people like him on board?"

    Does your friend cycle?

    Talk to him/them about PoP etc.

    Congratulate on travel choice (not the 'oooh you're brave' sort!).

    Presume he's doing it for cost reasons?

    Gently suggest that 'with the money you're saving you might like to buy a nicer bike'.

    Keeping one person cycling - and making them glad they do - will encourage others.

    (Obviously such marginal increments won't get us to the magical 10% [by 2020]. That's the Government's job...)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Ah, firedfromthecircus, we probably all wish the Scottish Greens well. I do.

    I applied for a job with them last year. I probably wouldn't have taken it even if they'd offered, but I fancied an hour's chat with Patrick at the interview. I'd have given them a rocket about their disorganisation and suggested a few remedies from the big bad world of business. Say what you like about capitalists but they've got some interesting ways of making (sometimes awful) things happen.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  29. paddyirish
    Member

    One query, how accurate is the MMW counter, especially with such volumes of bikes?

    Assume it wouldn't pick up every member of a "peleton" or else a before and after count may give a better estimate of numbers?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  30. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @chdot

    Does your friend cycle?

    Let's just say that we are at opposite ends of the cycling propensity spectrum. His son will be cost and time conscious. One of the reasons he chose the job is because they'll put him through driving lessons.

    Posted 8 years ago #

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