Spokes Porty is proud to support the InfraSisters Our Streets Our Nights mass cycle ride on 11th March, the same week as International Women’s Day. As one of the founding members of the campaign we are thrilled to see so much support across the city. We are also really pleased that a feeder ride has been organised for the ride, leaving from outside the Bank of Scotland on Porty High Street on the corner of Brighton Place at 6.40pm. We hope to see a huge contingent of folk from Edinburgh East cycle up to the Meadows to join the ride.
This is the second ride organised by the same women. In December last year, to mark the UN’s 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, women in Edinburgh led a Light Up The Night cycle ride to highlight the urgent need for cycling infrastructure that is safe and comfortable for women and girls at night. The event was prompted by several incidents on off-road paths in the city. Some of these have been close to home. Many women and girls in and around Porty are afraid to use the Innocent Path in the dark, and Fishwives Causeway, an important alternative to the most dangerous junction in the city – Porty High Street/Sir Harry Lauder Road.
170 people from across the city came on that first ride that was organised, led, and marshalled by women. In good humour, ringing our bells, with our bikes adorned in fairy lights, we created a carnival atmosphere as we cycled through the historic centre.
Despite the cold and covid, the city centre was busy with Friday night revellers, and we were greeted with friendly waves and toots from pedestrians and drivers. The wee girls at the front of the ride shouted instructions to the riders behind, and the volunteer marshals kept us all safe. It was an empowering, celebratory event, especially for the women who had never felt safe enough to cycle in Edinburgh at night on their own.
For an hour the streets were ours to share and enjoy.
Sadly, some women didn’t attend as there was no safe route for them to get to the start of the ride. We are determined to improve cycling infrastructure in the city so that women and girls can cycle without fear whenever and wherever they want. We will keep organising these rides, in the darker months of the year, until all councillors understand what is required, and commit to it.
The Our Streets Our Nights ride on the 11th March will depart from Middle Meadow Walk at 7.30pm, be around an hour long, and involve a circuit around the historic centre. Cyclists are encouraged to dress up, light up their bikes, and say it with flowers. While the ride will be led by women, everyone is welcome to attend.
As with the previous ride, the InfraSisters are calling on all councillors in Edinburgh to follow Transport Scotland’s updated Cycling by Design and:
- prioritise safe and comfortable on-road cycle infrastructure, protected from traffic or off-carriageway, on well-lit direct routes
- provide well-signed routes which are permeable and always have a way out, not fenced/ walled on both sides, and with good connections to other streets
- provide routes which use natural surveillance where possible, for example streets with high footfall.
We hope to see many councillors and national politicians on the ride, especially from Edinburgh East!
You can sign up to the ride via Eventbrite or Facebook or turn up on the night. Use the hashtag #OurStreetsOurNights if you go along to or support the ride and follow @InfraSisters on Twitter for updates and more.