Patrick Harvie has defended not wearing a helmet when cycling, saying the evidence did not support making them mandatory. Last December, the Green MSP, who is the Scottish Government’s minister for active travel, posed for pictures with pupils in East Renfrewshire who were doing road safety training with Bikeability. While the primary-age kids were all wearing fluorescent gear and bike helmets, Mr Harvie had neither. Conservative MSP Graham Simpson criticised the Green minister during a debate in the parliament on active travel, saying he was “exasperated” to discover “Mr Harvie has very quickly settled into his new role by reading the SNP ministerial rule book. A Conservative amendment that called on the Government to ensure councils have the “necessary resources” to improve active travel infrastructure was defeated by 47 votes to 67.

Source: The Herald March 18, 2022 08:32 UTC