Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party supports an initiative by the Bicycling Advocacy Group (BAG) who held an Awareness Ride in Favour of Safer Roads for Cyclists on the 1st of September, starting off just inside City gate in Valletta, where a dismounted walk from the new parliament building to the old one in St Georges Square took place.

Dr Claire Azzopardi Lane, AD spokesperson for sports and disability, said: ‘This dismounted walk is a symbolic remembrance of riders injured or lost on our streets. Hundreds of cyclists will be commuting by bike from all localities in Malta and even from Gozo to make it to this event. BAG, led by James Craig Wightman has been involved in the a road safety campaign to make the roads safer for cyclists and has been very successful in putting pressure on authorities and the wider community especially through social media.

‘Hundreds of close misses threatening the safety and the life of cyclist on our roads are reported each week on the Bicycle Advocacy Group Facebook page, clearly indicating the need of an education campaign for drivers and cyclists and a social awareness that roads are there to be shared not owned’.

Michael Briguglio, AD chairperson, added that as green local councillors, both Ralph Cassar in Attard and himself in Sliema are actively promoting the rights of bicycle users in their respective councils.