We are the InfraSisters - a group of women campaigning for night-time cycling infrastructure in Edinburgh that’s safe and comfortable for women and girls. We are calling on Edinburgh City Council to follow Transport Scotland’s updated Cycling by Design guidance and...
● prioritise safe and comfortable on-road cycle infrastructure, protected from traffic or off the road, on well-lit direct routes
● provide well-signed routes with exits, 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.
Many women in Edinburgh say they would cycle but they are afraid of traffic, and they fear the off-road routes in the dark. Women face difficult dilemmas trying to choose the safest route as the days get shorter. Do we risk a dangerous junction, and roads renowned for speeding and close-passing drivers? Or do we use an off-road isolated path that has no escape routes and numerous reports of anti-social behaviour, abuse, and even assault?
Male violence doesn’t just affect the women victims, it affects the behaviour of all women who weigh the risk of every decision they make. We believe that Edinburgh’s off-road paths, while important for leisure and mental health, particularly during the day, should not count as cycle infrastructure if they’re not safe for everyone every time.
We organise mass protest rides across Edinburgh in the winter months. While the rides are organised and led by women, everyone is welcome to join us. Join our mailing list for information about our rides and other news.
