On this page you will find out about active travel in Scotland and what the Scottish Government is doing in relation to improve cycling and walking throughout the country.
What is active travel?
Walking and Cycling are considered the main modes of active travel. It is about promoting the notion that "human effort is an alternative fuel" and zero emission vehicles have been around a long time, since the 1900s. The invention of the bicycle is credited to a Scot, Kirkpatrick MacMillan, from Dumfriesshire.
Walking is an ideal activity to get at least the minimum level of physical activity required for health and well being, as well as being a daily mode of transport for many people. Between 30 and 50 minutes a day of physical activity will lessen your chances of serious illness in later life.
Cycling is an active, healthy, sustainable and enjoyable mode of transport that can take the place of motorised transport for many day to day journeys. For those who are a bit more energetic, the average person can easily travel at 12-15 miles an hour.
Why encourage active travel?
With approximately 34 per cent of all car journeys in Scotland being less than two miles in length, there are huge potential benefits in promoting walking and cycling as an alternative. Such distances can easily be covered by bicycle within 15-20 minutes, or by brisk walking within 30-50 minutes, providing the recommended amount of daily physical activity for health. Over short distances - especially in urban areas - cycling is often quicker and cheaper than using a car and more flexible than public transport.
If more people choose active travel, we can:
- ease congestion
- reduce noise pollution
- cut exhaust emissions
- improve our health
Walking and Cycling are also great ways to relax, giving us more time to enjoy our urban spaces and improving our work-life balance and save money.
For businesses and other organisations, developing a active travel culture can help:
- lower organisational transport costs
- reduce the need for expensive parking lots
- increase productivity through improved staff well-being
- demonstrate commitment to protecting the environment
- meet criteria for accreditation schemes such as the Healthy Working Lives Award and Cycle Friendly Employer Award
What is the government doing?
The Scottish Government is committed to increasing levels of walking & cycling, as transport modes and as leisure activities. In order to achieve this, the Government supports a number of organisations and initiatives, including:
- Smarter Choices, Smarter Places: Scottish Government partnership project with COSLA developing innovative transport initiatives to encourage more Scots out of their cars.
- Grants to Sustrans, Cycling Scotland, Living Streets, Energy Savings Trust, Transform Scotland to encourage and promote active and sustainable travel.
- Encouraging Local Authorities to develop cycling strategies as part of their local transport strategies and to link these with education and health improvement initiatives, and in their Single Outcome Agreements
- Providing support to local authorities for cycling projects through dedicated allocations for cycling, walking and safer streets (CWSS) projects
- Funding the National Cycle Network in Scotland through sustainable transport charity Sustrans
- Tackling the school run by promoting school travel plans and active travel projects through Sustrans' Safe Routes to School Initiative.
- Supporting the call for a Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS) to be developed. During August and September 2008, focus groups and public consultation events took place across the country where we asked the people of Scotland what should be included in such an Action Plan. This bottom-up or grassroots approach to cycling policy development will help to shape an action plan that will be meaningful to everyone. It will be helpful to Local Authorities in developing their single outcome agreements and local transport strategies, and also to central government in shaping policy around the Government's Economic Strategy and the National Performance Framework. The draft CAPS will do out to public consultation in the spring of 2009.
Where do I get more help
External websites about walking -
Further Information
- Transport Scotland is currently updating the technical consultation document "Cycling by Design" which should be available online at www.TransportScotland.gov.uk later this year. Contact Susan Bakr on: 0141 272 7323 for further information on publication date; please also see:. Cycling By Design
External cycling websites
Regional Cycle Campaign Websites
Tackling the School Run
The Scottish Government is keen for more children to take more active options such as cycling or walking when travelling to and from school.
To encourage this, the Scottish Government continues to provide funding to Local Authorities for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects and to Sustrans for promotion and infrastructure at schools. In Scotland 75 per cent of all schools are working on a Travel Plan. In addition, (£)one million for School Travel Co-ordinator (STC) posts -has been rolled-up into the Local Authority block grant for 2008-09.
To support STCs, the Scottish Government is continuing to fund Sustrans' Safe Routes to Schools Team who are a national source of expertise on the subject, as well as a provider of training and resource materials for those promoting active school travel options.
Find out how the Scottish Government is involved in Road Safety.
Further Information
- Sustrans' Safe Routes to School page
- Cycling Scotland
Bike Week is the biggest nationwide cycling event in the UK, taking place from 13th - 21st June 2009. A national celebration of cycling, Bike Week aims to help people get more out of life - by getting on a bike and exploring the local community.
Bike Week is free to enter and open to everyone with the option to either take part in an event or organise one yourself. Not just for experienced cyclists, anyone can set up a Bike Week event and organisers receive some great benefits by signing up.
For more information visit the website www.bikeweek.org.uk or email Bike Week onhq@bikeweek.org.uk or call 0845 612 0661