News / cycling
Mass cycle in city centre to demand safer streets for children
Dozens of children and families cycled through central Bristol on Saturday morning, ringing bells and riding blinged-up bikes.
The event is part of Kidical Mass, a global movement where children and families take to the streets en-masse to show the demand for more space and safer streets for children to cycle.
From big cities to rural areas, the Kidical Mass action alliance pushes for infrastructure where children and young people should be able to move around safely and independently on foot and by bike.
is needed now More than ever
The movement is inspired by Critical Mass, a global bicycle ride to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists’ right to the road.
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This year’s Kidical Mass was organised in conjunction with Bristol Cycling Campaign and Safe Streets Now.
The first Kidical Mass in Bristol was launched by sustainability campaigner Zoe Banks Gross. “Bristol has some good bits of infrastructure, but there’s still a long way to go,” she told Bristol24/7.
“Unfortunately there have been so many road collisions because our streets aren’t really designed for people and children,” she said.
“We have had so many children and families really suffering from this, whether they are walking, or cycling, or scooting to school, it’s just not safe.
“We need to have safer infrastructure so children can get to school, get to their play activities, and get around town and not be concerned about cars hitting them.
“Bristol has some good bits of infrastructure, but there’s still a long way to go,” Zoe added.
“It’s been really great to see so many more kids and families come to cycle. It’s amazing to see so many families with cargo bikes here today for example.
“But we still don’t have the infrastructure that encourages kids to cycle to and from school on a daily basis, and we still have a really big disparity between girls and boys who cycle to secondary schools, so we need to change the infrastructure to make cycling more equal for everyone.”
Main photo: Rob Browne
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