I remember mentioning Ian in the very first blog of my summer here in Orkney. A man I just had the pleasure of meeting with again today. 5 months on. Ian is around 70, and to date I don’t think I’ve met someone so passionate and enthused about cycling. He has been at the forefront of cycling campaigns in Scotland since the 80s. He has taken part in protests for cycling infrastructure and made significant changes all over Scotland.
Over the last three years of living in Orkney, Ian has become extremely aware of the lack of access for people with disability visiting and living on Orkney and on the outer isles. He shared with me a recent survey result stating that a large percentage of elderly and disabled population find it easier to cycle than walk. I can’t imagine how liberating it would feel to cycle if I had mobility issues. Having control of your own body again, taking the pressure of your sore joints, being able to go where ever you want. Until you are faced with a cattle grid. Which in Orkney, with the limited paths, may send you on a one-hour de-tour.
He shared a story of one of his friends getting stuck on his wheelchair in the attempt to cross a cattle grid. This and many other individual stories have inspired him. Making it his goal to campaign and change infrastructure in Orkney. He has written to the council, collaborated with other cycle activists and set up meetings Incredibility, next week he has been invited to talk and have a stand at the Disability inclusion event run by Transport Scotland here in Orkney. He will have a chance to share his concerns and express his ideas. He has many long-term strategies. This is one of the really amazing things about Ian, he thinks long-term. He knows us human-beings don’t always like change. However, he has seen incredible changes in cycling access over his life time and knows good things take time.
We also talked about the impact of mental health and barriers to activity for elderly and disabled people in Scotland. Living in a rural area and having mobility issues can be very isolating and lonely. Having limited infrastructure for wheelchair access and cycling can be a huge barrier to someone’s ability to get outside and improve their day.
At the end of our amazing chat he told me about his idea of an active travel super highway. One of his long-term visions for Kirkwall is to have completely pedestriansed ‘highway’ through the middle of the town. “Let’s revamp the infrastructure to give pedestrians right of way! Reducing accidents and making people more active"!
Paris without a car?! Frances vision to turn Paris into a car free city.
I am a huge geek, a really love reading the news platform The Conversation. It is a diverse news outlet that allows academics from universities all over the world to publish their research. I recently found out that all countries use the platform and started reading and translating different article on health, well-being and environmental change in different countries from France to Africa.
Today the French conversation publish an amazing article about the history of car use in France and proposed the idea of Paris becoming a car free zone. Cities in Spain, Italy, Greece, Switzerland and many more have adopted this amazing idea. The French article focuses on safety and the reducing of accidents in Paris. However, like all other car free cities, it has a significant impact on the environment and the public's well-being.
The idea of Paris becoming a car free zone has been discussed since 1790! This was a great quote from the article sharing that cars limit our individual freedoms
"we can not go to foot in Paris without danger. It is not enough to be free, one must be human. While we proclaim aloud the equal rights of all humanity, the inhabitants of the capital continue to be crushed by cars. We must prohibit the use of passenger cars in Paris.
I think the idea of car free zones is great. It has so many potential benefits, especially in highly populated areas where transport should be reduced. For so long cars have been the priority. Maybe it’s time to prioritise our long-term health and the planet.
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