Updated on
Summary Thousands of cyclists staged protests in London and Rome to draw attention to poor road safety.
Thousands of cyclists staged protests in London, Edinburgh and Rome on Saturday to draw attention to poor road safety and a lack of provisions for bike lovers in the key European cities.Some 10,000 cyclists braved pouring rain in London and 3,000 turned out in Edinburgh, according to organisers, who said they were Englands and Scotlands biggest ever pro-cycling demonstrations.If we take Holland as an example, the majority of people cycle and thats what we want here, Suzanne Fogg, a trustee of the London Cycle Campaign, told Britains Sky News.So many people want to cycle and they just dont feel safe, so this is about making the streets feel safer and more inviting for cyclists.Protesters dressed in outfits from Lycra to fancy dress crowded streets around Londons landmark Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square, halting traffic to demand concrete pledges to ensure road safety.Pro-bike groups staged the events under the umbrella of the Cities Fit for Cycling initiative launched by the Times newspaper ahead of local elections in Britain, where 26 cyclists have died on the roads this year.Protesters in Rome, also affiliated with the Times campaign, said they were likewise looking to the Netherlands as a model.Theres a civil war going on on the roads, said Paolo Bellino. This is a necessity that has been put off for too long. In the Netherlands, pro-cycling policies were adopted 40 years ago. Were 40 years behind, he added.Policy in this country is made for drivers, said Alberto Fiorillo, one of the organisers of the Rome demonstration near the Colosseum.The Italian protest was entitled Veni, Vidi, Bici -- a play on words using the Italian word for bike in the famous saying attributed to Julius Caesar.
