COP26: protesters form line of cyclists on Lancefield Quay

A cyclist campaign group held a protest on the banks of the River Clyde on Wednesday (10 November) morning.

GoBike campaigners encouraged city cyclists to join them at Lancefield Quay at 7.45am to “peacefully form a line along the edge of the pavement”.

Organisers said that the line of cyclists will “remind people going to the conference on that day that active travel is a part of the solution to climate change.”

Wednesday marks Transport Day at the conference with talks set to focus primarily on the transition to electric vehicles.

GoBike campaigners have criticised COP26 organisers for not including active travel “on the table for discussions”.

Campaigners were also critical of the lack of cycling facilities on offer across the city over COP26.

They said: “cycling provision around the city and to the conference itself has been dire throughout the COP. At the conference, discussions on electric cars are taking centre stage.”

On the transport section of the COP26 website no reference is made to active travel.

‘Transport UK’s biggest contributor to climate change’

According to GoBike organisers transport is the “UK’s biggest contributor to climate change”.

They add: “yet nearly half (47.9%) of all journeys by car in Scotland are less than two miles.

“These are journeys that for many people could be swapped out for walking or cycling, if the conditions were made safer and more attractive. “

They add that better investment and “political foresight” is required to overcome a lack of infrastructure for cyclists.

Read more about the planned protest here.