Commuter Challenge Photos Online

Photos from this morning’s great event can be viewed on Flickr.

Folder

Slideshow

FULL CHALLENGE RESULTS

SEStran Press Releases

before event

after

Commuter Challenge on News

BBC TV is expected to film Commuter Challenge participants leaving Queen Margaret University this morning.

The crew will then ‘rush’ to the finish at St. Andrew Square.

Unlikely to beat the train passenger though!

Liberton Nursery Signs up for Car Free Day

Liberton Nursery School is planning a series of events to encourage its youngsters to take up cycling.

Most children love cycling. Even those too young to pedal can usually manage ‘balance’ bikes.

The first session is appropriately being held on Europe wide “In Town Withiut My Car Day” and give children the chance to try ChangingPace’s skills course

Unicycle 0 Tandem 1

Edinburgh based professional unicyclist Jason Auld has had to pull out of this week’s Commuter Challenge.

His skills and talents are in demand all over the world. After returning from a trip to Lebanon he was offered a week’s work in Barcelona!

One person on one wheel has been replaced by two people on two wheels.

Tandeming commuters are pretty rare in Edinburgh. Maybe tandem owners should register with BikeBudi and see if they can pick up a stoker.

“Sunday 20th Sept = Car Free Day 2009!”

Details of events in Portobello from PEDAL

Sunday 20^th Sept from 1.30pm outside the library, Rosefield Avenue (or in St James Church Hall, Rosefield Place, if wet!)

BIKE PARADE:
Kick off with the Bike Parade starting from the Prom at the bottom of Kings Rd at 1.30pm, this year we will have the amazing arm chair bike!
[NB: Dress up your Bike work shop at Towerbank Primary School Ash pit on Fri day 18^th Septem ber 2-4pm. £2 per child – bring your wheels and your imagination!]

MARKET, MUSIC, PRIZES & LAUNCH
*Local Market and live music near the library, at the High Street end of Rose field Avenue (in St James Church Hall, Rose field Place, if wet). If you want a stall and can donate 10% of takings to Car Free Day, please contact us on 657 2555

*PEDAL Challenge Prize Draw: Be one of 5 lucky winners to try life without a car for a month with a Lothian Buses Ridacard and City Car Club membership!

*Cycle to work launch: try cycling to work with other new and budding cyclists and a few old hands. Every Monday from 28th Sept, 8.55am Porty Town Hall to the top of Leith Walk or thereabouts (destinations can change as people want!).

KIDS ECO-COMEDY
*Kids Eco-Comedy starts at 3pm (ends 4.15pm) at St James Church Hall, Rose field Place. A very funny ecological fable called the ‘Isle of Egg’ – see www.ecodrama.co.uk – fun for all the family! £2 entry for adults, £1 for kids (if you can donate more to help cover the costs then great!). ‘Isle of Egg’ is an ecological fable inspired by Eigg, the beautiful island off the west coast of Scotland. Through thought-provoking, interactive storytelling, some eco gadgets, humorous characters and live music, Eco Drama brings to life a fun and uplifting story about climate change, positive thinking and the power of community spirit.

Bus Man Goes By Bike

Radio Forth’s Grant Stott, the face on the back of Lothian Buses, has accepted the Commuter Challenge.

But on Wednesday he’ll be leaving his Ridacard at home and cycling to St. Andrew Square.

For Grant it’ll be just like a training ride as he will have ridden a dozen times further on the Pedal for Scotland ride this Sunday.

Believe it or Not

Next week’s Commuter Challenge is still short of a couple of car drivers!

This annual event has no problem attracting cyclists and bus users and an intrepid jogger. Last year she ran from Ocean Terminal and beat the bus. This year she’s starting from Queen Margaret University – but won’t beat the train!

One person who happens to own a car has declined to take part “I’d never live it down” so maybe the Guardian is right about “Guilty Greens”.

The City Car Club is taking part again this year. But Commuter Challenge organiser Maggie Wynn is still looking for a couple of people to drive from Ocean Terminal and Ingliston Park and Ride to St. Andrew Square on Wednesday morning at 7.30. If you are able/willing to drive please contact maggie@changingpace.info or on 07914 727018.

Drivers have to park legally and walk to the finish in St. Andrew Square. Coffee, croissant and travel/parking expenses reimbursed!

One Week to Bike Friday

Next Friday three groups of cyclists will set off from different parts of Edinburgh and head for Festival Square (off Lothian Road).

It will be Edinburgh’s first organised ride for cycling ‘commuters’. It’s a mixture of social fun and confidence building.

Similar rides already exist in Manchester and London. The rides will be led and marshalled by experienced cyclists and will take routes that involve quiet streets and some busy roads.

A good turnout is expected – helped by Edinburgh Bicycle telling all its customers in the weekly email newsletter.

In Festival Square Spokes (The Lothian Cycle Campaign) will have an information stall.

Spokes does a cycle count on Lothian Road twice a year. It records that bicycles are a growing percentage of the ‘rush hour’ traffic.

Confused?

Not sure about where ‘transport’ fits into efforts to ‘combat Climate Change’?

Edinburgh based campaigning organisation Transform Scotland offers some guidance.

Richard Armitage to Join Bike Friday Ride

Sustainable Transport Consultant Richard Armitage is coming to Edinburgh for a public meeting organised by Spokes (DETAILS). He is also taking part in Edinburgh’s first Bike Friday and will join people cycling from Portobello Baths - all welcome.

ROUTES (3 rides)