Cycling lovers have taken to the roads of Aberdeen to promote bikes as means of transport and highlight the need for better infrastructure in the city.
Dozens took part in a Critical Mass bicycle ride event on Friday evening to raise the profile of pedal power in Aberdeen and urge the council to make further investment.
People from all walks of life jumped on their bikes for a group cycle around the city, starting from Marischal College, to highlight how big their community is.
While this was one of the first Critical Mass events to take place in the Aberdeen, the initiative dates back to 1992 when such a group ride-out was held in San Francisco.
Similar schemes, designed to draw attention to certain flaws in the local infrastructure for cyclists and encourage change, run in Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
A chance to promote cycling in Aberdeen
Bridge of Don resident Martin Sharman, who initiated the Aberdeen Critical Mass project, said a lot more can be done to accommodate cyclists in the city.
The 38-year-old dad-of-two said: “I can make a difference as an individual, but we can do so much more as a group – and that’s the drive behind today’s event.
“We have a real opportunity to promote urban cycling in Aberdeen and I think the number of people that showed up today only shows how big our community is.
“We want to build a stronger community and get more people with good ideas together to highlight the benefits of cycling and the need for improvements.”
One of the people to join the ride-out was Sustrans project officer for NHS Grampian, Katrina Schofield.
Miss Schofield, who has been involved with the health board for the last 14 months to support staff to cycle and walk more, said this event has been a long-time coming.
Safety concerns ‘biggest barrier’ for cyclists
The 30-year-old, who was joined by fellow Sustrans worker Beth Woodall, stressed the need for a better infrastructure, adding people “don’t feel safe to get on their bikes”.
She said: “The infrastructure in Aberdeen is pretty poor and something I have found out through work is that the biggest barrier that stops people from cycling is that they are scared to cycle on the roads here.
“There is a lot of room for improvement – including introducing 20mph zones, which has been really effective in other parts of the country, and also segregated bike lanes.”
 She added: “I’m just really excited that something like this is happening in Aberdeen – it’s a really good opportunity to raise the profile of cycling in the city.
“There are so many benefits for an individual in terms of mental and physical health, and it’s such a good way to get around the city.
“And for the community, it’s a good thing in terms of creating a nicer and healthier environment without the congestion of vehicles.”
Torry councillor Christian Allard, who cycles to work from his home in Torry every single day, also took
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added: “I’m just really excited that something like this is happening in Aberdeen – it’s a really good opportunity to raise the profile of cycling in the city.
“There are so many benefits for an individual in terms of mental and physical health, and it’s such a good way to get around the city.
“And for the community, it’s a good thing in terms of creating a nicer and healthier environment without the congestion of vehicles.”
Torry councillor Christian Allard, who cycles to work from his home in Torry every single day, also took the opportunity to support the initiative.
He said: “I’ve been in Aberdeen for more than 35 years and I can’t believe the number of people I see cycling to work, which is fantastic.
“I think there has been progress, but it’s important we continue supporting cyclists and invest more from the fund we have in the council.
“It’s challenging, but we need to make sure that people take their place on the road and that drivers understand how to make the space safer for cyclists.”
Conversation