MSP calls for cycle safety summit for capital
For immediate release 5 March 2012
Following the tragic death of a second cyclist this year on Edinburgh's roads, Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone has called for a dedicated cycle safety summit to bring together key authorities and road users.
Lothian's Green MSP Alison Johnstone said:
"My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the cyclist killed yesterday on Edinburgh's roads.
"There have now been 16 cyclist deaths and many others injured since 2000 in Lothian region, almost all involving another vehicle. Cycling is a generally safe activity, and the best way to improve safety is to get more people on their bikes to form a critical mass on the roads.
"However, it is clear that we need a radical rethink of how we design our streets to make them far safer for cyclists and pedestrians. I am calling for a cycle safety summit for the capital to be held as soon as possible to see what changes can be made to make Scotland a leader in cycle safety. We can and must do more to minimise the chances of another tragedy on our roads."