A new report shows that bike journeys in Edinburgh rose from 1.9% of commuting journeys in 1991, to 3.1% in 1999.

It might not seem like a massive change, but it’s certainly significant and has been interpreted as a vindicatin of Edinburgh’s long ‘pro bike’ policies. A ‘delighted’ Councillor Andrew Burns, the city’s transport leader, said “We’ve spent a lot of time ensuring that Edinburgh is a cycle-friendly environment, with the Greenways scheme, cycle-lanes and cycle-stop junctions that ensure cycling is a lot easier than it used to be.”

He continued: “It’s easier than ever to be a cyclist in Edinburgh. This is an ambitious project but what we’re aiming for is achievable.
“With more than 60 percent of journeys in Edinburgh less than three miles long, there’s really no need to take the car.”

Cathy Scott, a spokeswoman for the local cycling campaign group Spokes, added: “This is really good news. It just goes to show how many people are realising cycling is a fun way of getting about.”