Could Edinburgh’s big plans for cycling backfire? – Helen Martin

WITH cycle lanes likely to become the best way to get round parts of our neighbourhood, let alone the city centre, we in our high 60s explored the options of electric bikes, the best one recommended by a cycle shop was a Gtech eBike... at £1000. Some even in their 70s will be able to cope with non-electrics uphill, but not me.

Then it occurred to me that if cars are ruled out on routes, several even more elderly but reasonably fit people would also be able to leave cars at home – or do away with them – if they could buy cycling stability, like an adult tricycle.

Parents with small children may have to move off roads but into cycle lanes with the little kiddie “car” in tow. If shopping was involved, perhaps all of us would have a tow box, avoiding hauling bags or heavy items to a bus stop and lugging them home at the other end.

More people would be committed to exercise, relieving the NHS and helping to reach carbon neutrality.

It’s a solution to banning cars, improving the environment, reducing pollution, saving the planet and finding a new form of transport which is the council policy. But would this be what fast and accomplished cyclists in Lycra and helmet gear are hoping for? Would we get in their way?

If cycle lanes actually filled up and unfortunately slowed them down, would it be part of the plan, the dream, the goal?

I’m not campaigning for it at all but it’s a reasonable question to put to the council just in case their redesign of roads and transport backfires.

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