Pedal on Parliament has always been as much about creating the conditions to allow non-cyclists to ride, as it has been about improving conditions for those who already ride bikes. That’s why we’re campaigning for investment to put proper cycle infrastructure in everywhere it’s needed, not just paint a few pictures ASLs on the road. But how does a cycling campaign reach those people who don’t even know they want to cycle yet? And how do we make the case that investing in cycling actually benefits everyone – even those who don’t ride a bike and never will?
The easiest way is to tell a story. And with the help of some charming animations from Hugh Bryden that’s just what we’ve done.
Katie Cycles to School is about Katie, her family, and all the benefits that come from their being able to get about by bike. But it’s not just about the joy of the bike, wonderful as that is. It’s about the conditions that enable Katie, her mum, dad, and little brother to get out of their car and get around under their own steam. It’s a call to arms, in short.
But there’s no point you watching it – you already know all about this (although do watch it anyway, because we think it’s brilliant). What we need you to do is to share it wherever you can with people who might not otherwise see it. People who care about their families, the lives of children, the place where they live, their health, the environment – but who haven’t quite made the connection yet between all these big complex things, and the simplicity of riding a bike. Get them to share it on to all their friends and families in turn, and we might just start something big.
With huge thanks to the Grassroots Action Support fund and the Sheila McKechnie Foundation for the funding to make this happen.