Biggest Pedal on Parliament yet will see 20 protests across Scotland

Pedal on Parliament (PoP), which usually involves a mass bike ride to Holyrood, will this weekend switch focus to a series of protest events across Scotland. “We’re joining forces with local groups and individuals in a series of Pop-Up PoPs highlighting the things that need to change,” said the group.

The Scotsman reports that 20 separate protests are planned. We’ve already highlighted a people-protected bike lane in Edinburgh on today’s live blog. Others will include school ‘bike buses’, fancy dress rides, further human bike lanes, and a hunt for Edinburgh’s most ridiculous bike lane.

Organiser Sally Hinchcliffe said: “This year we want to take the battle to local authorities to highlight the sort of issues our supporters face every day in just trying to get about by bike.

"While the Scottish Government has started to increase investment in active travel, many local authorities are falling behind, and whether you can cycle safely or not is becoming a postcode lottery.

"With climate change now becoming an urgent issue, we need to change the way we travel, and that means changes to enable cycling everywhere, with safe cycle routes away from cars.”

When the group put out a call for creative protests, pop-up coordinator Iona Shepherd said they were “blown away” by the response.

"It’s not just established campaign groups that are taking part but individuals – parents and commuters who just want to be able to cycle safely with their families and get home from work alive."

Further protest events include…

Today:

• A people-protected bike lane from 2pm outside Riddrie Library in Cumbernauld Road in Glasgow
• Parents collecting their children by bike from Crown Primary School in Inverness at 2.50pm to highlight a busy five-way junction which discourages many from riding to school

On Saturday:

• Further bike lane "actions" on Causewayhead Road in Stirling at 8am, Howard Street/St Enoch Square in Glasgow at 10am and Ayr Road at Whitecraigs Station in Newton Mearns at 3:30pm
• "Jelly Baby" bike lanes on Morrison Street in Edinburgh at 10am
• A "superhero" ride at Kings Park in Dalkeith at noon
• A "chicane challenge" at the junction of North Meadow Walk and Middle Meadow Walk in the Meadows in Edinburgh at 1:30pm
• A symbolic "finishing" of the incomplete Bears Way segregated cycle path at Burnmouth Place, Hillfoot, Bearsden at 2pm

On Sunday:

• A protest at the lack of cycling and crossing provision at the Westland Drive roundabout at the west end of Victoria Park in Glasgow at 10am
• A "Hoover-protected bike lane" on Main Street in Cambuslang outside the station at 11am
• A "mad cow" ride in Dock Park, Dumfries at 11am
• A mass ride through Aberdeen city centre from Marischal College at 11am
• A mass ride and picnic at Slessor Gardens near the V&A Museum in Dundee at 1pm