CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".
IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters
It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.
RULES No personal insults. No swearing.
not resolvedThree miles is probably about right, if there are large numbers. If not, just go round twice :-)
If encouraging kids and non-regular cyclists to come, it's best not to say it's even three miles as that sounds really intimidating, just say 'we're riding from the Meadows to Parliament'
The pace should anyway be slow enough that people can join us on foot / scooters / skateboards / rollerskates if they can't bring their bikes.
If the family of the poor cyclist hit yesterday gave approval, why not start at Murrayfield > Princes St > Mound (or North Bridge) > Royal Mile.
Not very pretty due to works, but straight and very busy, would be inconvenient especially if these roads were to be closed ?
I would assume given numbers this may need to be a 'closed road' event?
Another idea to re-enforce the message, perhaps some demonstrations, placards and all at places where people have been killed in recent years.
This could be on the same day as the cycle to Parliament in a day of action for Cycling safety, or even a number of mini demonstrations, maybe a Saturday at each location culminating in the cycle?
"The pace should anyway be slow enough that people can join us on foot / scooters / skateboards / rollerskates if they can't bring their bikes."
I think if enough people turn up (should be over 1000) pace will inevitably be fairly slow, though presumably not walking pace all the time!
It would be simpler to assemble in The Meadows, go up MMW and all the way down The Royal Mile.
This is as 'city centre' as is practical at the moment.
I suggest there are too main aims on the day - get a lot of people to turn up and get some good press coverage.
It might be able to get the police to agree to riding down both sides of George IV Bridge - that would make a good photo.
The route would take in the pedestrianised bit of the High Street - showing what can be done when more attention is paid to cyclists and pedestrians.
It's important to highlight that all this is not 'just about cyclists'. 'We' want safer roads and a change in priorities for the way streets are used and various users favoured/prioritised.
Only problem with using the Royal Mile is narrowness. Would mean closing it off to other traffic, including the 35 bus: not sure how keen the Council and police would be about that (ironic I know given that the plan is to further pedestrianise).
Chambers Street, Bridges, North Bridge, Regent Road, all wide enough that the procession could just take up one side/lane of the road. No cobbles to negotiate either, which is a consideration for children / scooters / skateboards / roller skates / less confident cyclists.
What's the deal with parking on the Canongate on Saturday? It's sometimes slightly artificially narrow and winding on the ways to and from work.
Regent Road on a Saturday in late April will probably be subject to the usual tourist-season tour-coach-infestation, which reduces the width a bit though there's still a fair bit of room, albeit with the cheesegrater-barrier at the top.
"Only problem with using the Royal Mile is narrowness. Would mean closing it off to other traffic"
Well they did for Chris Hoy's open-top bus parade!
I'd rather have a lot of cyclists going slowly down cobbles than Chambers Street and South Bridge on a Saturday.
Has anyone chatted to Spokes or CTC about this? If numbers are wanted, might be an idea to get them on board as supporters.
We're getting the site online for Monday, so we have some tangible stuff to point to, and then officially launching (hence this request for route advice so that we can include that as well).
So from Monday there will be a blitz of cycling organisations :)
Spokes are in the loop (Dave DuFeu has been lending his words of wisdom). Also going to talk to CTC, Sustrans, Cycle Nation and all the local cycling campaigns in Scotland. If anyone has any suggestions for other organisations who might be interested - and especially if you're involved with them in some way or have contacts - then please let us know.
I had tried to send you a pm mentioning Transition Edinburgh - which might help mobilize students - but it didn't go. I can leaflet/poster whatever around George Square but it might be worth specifically contacting the student unions too?
(of course, should be Transition Scotland and not just EUSA, but I can make contacts with the local ones if necessary)
@SRD yes, good idea. We'll hopefully have flyers & posters soon. Do you have Uni contacts & details for Transition Edinburgh?
Active Schools Co-ordinators?
I'm not sure if, being public sector, they could get involved, but I'd be happy to forward it to my local co-ordinator and the Active School Manager.
Robert
"If anyone has any suggestions for other organisations who might be interested"
Obviously you want to get http://www.cyclingscotland.org involved.
AND
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/scotland - it's NOT just about 'cycling'.
It could be publicised on the forum of Edinburgh RC (http://www.edinburghrc.co.uk/).
I could also publicise it on the KB BUG maillist.
There's been a short (good-0natured) email debate about http://www.cyclingscotland.org - one of our number dislikes them strongly, however, given their profile they are good to have on board.
@amir I've volunteered myself to email / write to the registered secretaries of the Scottish cycling clubs (including ERC) and ask them to spread the word amongst their membership
Audax Ecosse?
The cycle polo chaps (do they have an official team / club / organisation?)
The Pedicab pilots - would be great if a couple of pedicabs could join to provide transport for less able participants (tiny children, elderly, cyclists with broken legs / hips / ribs from ice falls!)
On subject of bugs, could go direct to SCOTBUG and ask them to circulate it to the administrators of all the registered BUGs.
SCOTBUG then brings in the Bike Station.
When there's a website to point at everyone can email someone appropriate at their employer, unless they're small enough to know everyone to be able to email them directly. As well as our intranet noticeboard we have various building managers who should have lists of known cyclists to which they can forward a notificatory e-mail.
All known local bike/repair shops would presumably be happy to actively promote, perhaps with the aid of promotional material to pop into bags alongside purchases?
I've also volunteered myself to go round all the Edinburgh bike shops begging window-space for posters.
Fantastic ideas. I know it's a bit frustrating that we haven't a website up yet - just trying to get everything together amidst day jobs and make sure it's as right as possible before going out to the wider world.
We should have our draft manifesto up somewhere for people to look at / poke holes in / make constructive suggestions about shortly. It won't be for wider dissemination till we're sure it's something that people will be happy to sign up to though. We're aiming for the big launch on Monday
kappers, happy to help out with the cycling round posterising.
Anyone know the local cycle courier organisation? Maybe the same folk who are organising the European Cycle Messenger Championships for Edinburgh this year?
http://www.urbancyclistworldwide.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3070000%3ABlogPost%3A176340
Would be good to get the support of these particular professional cyclists...
I know a courier who I keep bumping into; and another courier who last I chatted to was trying to get out of it. Good idea!
"We should have our draft manifesto up somewhere for people to look at"
I'm sure it will be wider than 'cyclists demand more stuff'!
Oh I by the way I happen to have an 18 piece drum crew looking for a warm-up gig around that time... :D
"I happen to have an 18 piece drum crew"
Is that 18 drums or people (or both).
Do they all get transported by bikes?
@ruggtomcat, you'll need one of those 'beer bikes' or an 'elephant trailer' to move that lot then!
Oh damn, do we need more than 'cyclists demand more stuff'?
Eight points:
1) Proper funding for cycling.
2) Design cycling into Scotland’s roads.
3) Slower speeds where people live, work and play
4) Integrate cycling into local transport strategies
5) Improved road traffic law and enforcement
6) Reduce the risk of HGVs to cyclists and pedestrians
7) A strategic and joined-up programme of road user training
8) Improved statistics supporting decision-making and policy
Obviously the devil's in the detail though
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