Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Campaigners call Scotland’s missed target of 10 per cent of journeys by bike “tremendously disappointing”

Cycling UK in Scotland says government needs to urgently invest more in infrastructure

Campaigners  have said that it is “tremendously disappointing” that Scotland will miss the target of achieving 10 per cent of journeys by bike by 2020.

The target was set in the 2010 Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CSAP) but despite the Scottish Government’s repeated emphasis on the goal it has been clear for several years that there was no prospect of it being achieved.

Now, the country’s transport minister, Michael Matheson has officially confirmed that with just 4 per cent of everyday journeys being made by bike, the target will not be achieved.

The minister’s admission has led Cycling UK in Scotland to call on the government to urgently invest more money in cycling to make it easier and safer for people to get around by bike.

Speaking to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood today, Matheson said: “Last year we doubled the active travel budget from £39 million to £80 million and we have maintained this record funding again this year to increase the speed of change in the number of people walking and cycling and to develop an Active Nation.

“While we are unlikely to reach 10 per cent of all journeys made by bike by 2020, our ambitious push has led to good results in some areas, with Edinburgh now seeing rates of cycling at 9.8 per cent.

“Infrastructure is key and I’m delighted that a record sum of money, £51 million prior to match funding, will be invested into Scotland’s communities through the Places For Everyone programme. I look forward to seeing the scale of ambition demonstrated by Scotland’s local authorities when the announcement is made in the coming months.”

Jim Densham, Cycling UK’s Campaigns and Policy Manager for Scotland, said: "We are tremendously disappointed that the vision for 10% of everyday journeys to be made by bike will not be met next year. We now need much greater clarity on what the government proposes to do to fulfil that vision and by when.

“A great deal of effort has been made by many organisations to encourage more people to cycle. Whilst the increased budget for active travel was widely welcomed, this announcement shows just how much more action is needed to meet the vision anytime soon.

“With only around 4 per cent of everyday journeys currently made by bike, it’s clear that further investment and action is urgently needed by the government to match it’s statements on the climate emergency,” he continued.

“A welcome first step would be to make additional funding available to progress all viable ‘Place for Everyone’ bids immediately, because we know it takes time for tarmac to be laid on cycle routes and for people to start using them.

“We commend the government vision but it is action that’s needed now to create a network of separated cycle paths across our cities and major towns to enable anyone of any age or ability to cycle, support people to walk safely, improve air quality, reduce congestion and allows our communities to flourish," he added.

John Lauder, deputy national director of Sustrans Scotland, said that the sustainable transport charity “warmly welcomes the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement of funding of £51 million for infrastructure for walking and cycling. 

“We have seen real ambition in the applications from local authorities and other stakeholders for our new Places for Everyone infrastructure funding programme, which allows recipients of funding to double their budgets by matching their funding with Transport Scotland’s funds,” he continued.

“This increased funding means that local authorities and other stakeholders such as community development trusts can make it easier for people to walk, cycle and wheel by delivering safe, well designed, high quality infrastructure.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

1 comments

Avatar
giff77 | 4 years ago
3 likes

So it’s taken them TEN years. That’s right TEN years to realise that they were nowhere near their target of 10% modal share and are embarking on a series of consultations over the summer with 6 months until 2020 to see what can be done. It’s exasperating. Car ownership has steadily increased in Scotland and at a faster rate than the rest of the UK. Car journeys have increased in the last year due to the shoddy public transport provided. 

The SNP have let the nation down in regards to active travel. They should have been earmarking 10% of the transport budget per annum from day one. Guidelines for protected infrastructure given to councils to follow. Towns with high employment established with arterial cycle lanes from outlying villages. Presumed Liability established. Guidelines for Fiscal/Police Scotland in dealing with close passes rather than washing of hands because the cyclist wasn’t injured. And much more. The opportunity for Scotland to establish firsts and demonstrate how it can be done has been squandered by successive Transport Ministers and we are no further on today than we were in 2010.

Don’t get me wrong. There are pockets across the nation where there is huge improvements to what it used to be. But they are pockets. 

I made the mistake of watching the statement and the following Q&A. And Matheson provided nothing of substance beyond ‘we are talking to partners’ and ‘record investment’. I wrote to him about a month ago asking similar questions. Haven’t had a reply but I guess if I do get an answer it will be a rehash of yesterday’s statement. 

Latest Comments