Call for action on fifty worst junctions for cyclists

For immediate release 20 March 2012

Ahead of a national meeting tomorrow on road safety for cyclists, Greens have set out three key areas where the Scottish Government needs to take further action: on urban speed limits, on school cycle training and on a rolling programme to improve road design for cyclists.

Among specific proposals, Greens are calling for immediate action by the Minister for Transport to identify and redesign the 50 worst road junctions in Scotland for cyclists.
 
Alison Johnstone MSP has been invited to speak at the meeting of the Scottish Government's 'Road Safety Operational Partnership Group', following her calls for a radical rethink on cycle safety if the Government is to meet its ambition of 10% of journeys by bike in 2020. Representatives from cycling organisations have also been invited to this meeting, for the first time.

Lothian's Green MSP Alison Johnstone said:

"There needs to be a louder voice for cyclists in Scottish politics and I welcome this opportunity to meet with road safety officials to see what more can be done to embed cycling at the heart of transport policy.

"Among other things, I think we need to have a review of urban speed limits, with top priority given to the interests of pedestrians and cyclists. I also want to see every Scottish school able to provide cycle training, and every Council able to invest in better road design.

"The Government could take the lead right now and identify the fifty worst junctions for cyclists in Scotland. With an ambitious target for increasing cycling, now is the time to make the radical changes we need."