A small road safety protest took place outside Edinburgh’s City Chambers at 8:30 am on Thursday 13 November, ahead of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Committee meeting, where councillors were set to discuss a proposed list of 66 streets for new 20 mph limits.
The demonstration, organised by cycling advocacy group Edinburgh Critical Mass, took place one year after 74-year-old Michael Leneghan was fatally struck by a single-decker bus on 2 November 2024.
Police Scotland later concluded that the road layout was not a contributing factor to the collision.
However, the campaigners argue that this incident reinforces the need for permanent safety measures and that pedestrians and cyclists are not safer now than they were 12 months ago.
Attendees highlighted concerns about slow progress on changes previously discussed in the City Mobility Plan, including plans for restricting traffic on the Cowgate through a proposed bus gate.
Campaigners also said that the recent changes to the street’s night-time traffic restrictions were not enough to improve safety.
Around ten people attended the protest, which the group attributed to the poor weather and early timing. Despite the low turnout, campaigners said the action still had an impact.
A spokesperson for Edinburgh Critical Mass told The Student:
“The turnout was small, around ten people, however the group spoke with Councillor Jenkinson and we understand the Cowgate was raised in the meeting when it wasn’t on the original agenda, so we had at least some success.”
Image by Mark Chan for The Student