Holyrood hopefuls to get in the saddle

CANDIDATES in the forthcoming Holyrood elections will be getting on their bikes in Dumfries this week in a bid to understand some of the issues facing cyclists in the region and to share their views on active travel. Campaign group Cycling Dumfries has invited all the candidates standing in Dumfries to join them on the ride, both for the Dumfriesshire and Galloway and West Dumfries seats, as well as local list candidates. They will meet in Dock Park and then join local cyclists on a short tour of some of the barriers to cycling that emphasise the need for more joined-up policies. For this election Cycling Dumfries have joined with over 60 other organisations in support of the Joint Active Travel Manifesto, which calls for greater investment in active travel, long-term commitments to support national strategies, safer infrastructure for safe cycling and walking, integration with public transport, and measures to improve road safety. They’re hoping that candidates will get on board with these commitments but also be able to see for themselves what this means on the ground. Group convenor Sally Hinchcliffe said: “We’re delighted that we’ve got candidates from almost every major party standing in these elections who will be coming on the ride. “It’s all very well reading policy documents and making promises – nothing beats seeing the issues for themselves and hearing from voters what matters to them in this area. We hope it will also be a break from political arguing and divisive issues – making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle should be something we can all agree on.”