Terror on Edinburgh Pavements

high speed cyclists Edinburgh pavements, cycling on Edinburgh pavements

Particularly since the advent of the tramwork chaos, there’s a new level of terror on Edinburgh pavements – high-speed cyclists. 

Pensioner David Hickling recently suffered a dislocated shoulder, fractured arm, facial fractures and a dislocated jaw after he was knocked down by a cyclist while walking on a footpath through Bruntsfield Links. Doctors suggest it could take him up to a year to recover.

Edinburgh resident Lucina Prestige recently wrote to the Evening News:

‘I have twice been knocked into by speeding cyclists riding on the pavement. Last week I witnessed a high-speed cyclist riding along the main road. Suddenly he jumped his bike off the road and on to the pavement, landing just in front of my shocked neighbour. Unabashed, the cyclist shot off and continued pedalling along the pavement at a very dangerous speed. All because he wanted to avoid a red light at Canonmills. I am now reduced to walking nervously along our dedicated pedestrian walkways, looking behind at regular intervals (cyclists no longer use bells), standing to one side to enable groups of teenage cyclists free access to the pavement’.

Many Edinburgh residents are now complaining that even crossing the road at a green man is fraught with danger.   Cyclists now routinely ignore the traffic lights, weaving in and out of startled pedestrians who’ve waited patiently to cross chaotic roads  ‘safely’.

There have been a number of past police initiatives and there are rumours that these cyclists do occasionally get stopped and fined.   But the policing is clearly not strict enough or the fines frequent or punitive enough to deter this serious menace.   Will it take a death to finally put a stop to this?

Have YOUR Say

Have YOU had problems with cyclists on pavements?   Would you confess to having cycled on the the pavement yourself?  Leave a comment below.