Global cycling movement Kidical Mass is coming to the Southside this Saturday
The Southside will come alive with colour, music and pedal power this Saturday as families join the city’s first ever Kidical Mass ride — a global movement turning streets into safe spaces for children to cycle, play and be heard.
Kidical Mass riding through Glasgow Green
Words and photo by Women on Wheels | Edited by Devon McCole
Bike bells, bubbles and blasting music will fill the air in the Southside on Saturday 13 September as families and local organisations call for safer streets for all.
This is the first time the Kidical Mass movement, a worldwide movement of people with the shared vision of enabling children and young people to safely and independently travel by bike, is coming to the Southside.
The global Kidical Mass bike rides give children the opportunity to cycle on roads which are normally not safe for them, and the organisers are inviting the entire community to join.
Katherine Cory, Families Activities Coordinator at Women On Wheels explained: “Kidical Mass is a way for you and your family to create a bit of gentle activism in your city – it's a way of riding together to show that children have a voice and deserve to have safe space to move around. It's a fun and colourful event to be part of where the kids get to safely take up space on the road.”
Clara Orofino, Trustee at Parents for Future Scotland added: “The lack of safe infrastructure prevents many families who would love to embrace active travel from cycling or wheeling to school. Kidical Mass is a movement which enables kids to rightfully reclaim their space on our roads in a fun way.”
The family-friendly ride gathers in Queens Park, Victoria Road entrance at 11.30am before taking to the streets at midday. The route is a roughly 3.5km loop of the Southside finishing back in Queens Park.
All wheels are welcome on the ride including cargo bikes, trailers and balance bikes. The only exception are bikes with stabilisers which are unsuitable for the ride.
Participants are encouraged to wear bright and colourful clothing to decorate their bikes with flags and banners and prepare for a joyful event.
To gauge numbers, the organisers are encouraging people to sign up here in advance.
Kidical Mass Glasgow is organised by Women on Wheels, Sunny Cycles and Parents for Future Scotland.
Carol Thomson, Project Manager at Sunny Cycles said: “Kidical Mass is such a visual way to send a message. It gets kids and families and everyone involved, anyone can come along to the ride. It brings people together to do something fun, but also has an important meaning behind it.”
For queries and further information, please contact Katherine Cory by email families@womenonwheels.org.uk or phone 07927357140. More images can be provided upon request.