We have invited candidates from the main political parties to speak directly to voters about their vision for sustainable and active transport in Scotland. The event will give them a chance to outline their party’s priorities before taking part in a Q&A session with you.

Who Is Attending

We have contacted all 6 of the main political parties and the following will be attending:

• Scottish Lib Dems – Peter McLaughlin, candidate for Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok
• Scottish Greens – Holly Bruce, candidate for Glasgow Southside
• SNP – TBC
• Scottish Labour – TBC
• Reform – Graham Simpson, candidate for Airdrie
• Scottish Conservatives – Kyle Park, candidate for Glasgow Cathcart & Pollok 

Find out more about who you can vote for.

Venue, Date and Time

The event will take place at The Renfield Centre, 260 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JP in the Blythswood Hall on Tuesday 28 April.

• 630pm – venue opens, refreshments and networking 
• 700-830pm – hustings
• 830-9pm – final networking

Who We Are

Glasgow Eco Trust, GoBike Strathclyde Cycle Campaign, Cycling UK Scotland and Aye Cycle Glasgow represent the voices of those who walk, wheel or cycle in greater Glasgow and beyond and those who do not yet have the choice to do so.

Our supporters are commited to active travel and sustainable transport and it is a critical issue that they’d like to see the next Scottish Government deliver on. 

Glasgow Eco Trust

Community-led climate action – making a difference for people, place and planet. Glasgow Eco Trust is a local environmental charity and social enterprise based in west Glasgow that coordinates and delivers a range of environmental activities and services. Find out more at Glasgow Eco Trust

GoBike Strathclyde Cycle Campaign

Your voice for improving cycling in Glasgow and Strathclyde. GoBike campaigns for safer streets for all and making cycling a natural choice for all ages to get around. Find out more at GoBike

Cycling UK

Cycling UK enable and inspire people from all backgrounds and abilities to experience cycling’s joys and benefits. We speak up for all who cycle to make sure it’s a safe and easy choice for everyone to travel, explore and have fun. Ride with us for happier, healthier and greener lives. Find out more at Cycling UK Scotland

Aye Cycle Glasgow

Aye Cycle Glasgow is a one-stop shop website and network of community cycling organisations across the greater Glasgow area. Find out more at Aye Cycle Glasgow

Manifestoes

• Glasgow Eco Trust, GoBike and Cycling UK are three of more than 60 organisations that have signed up to the Joint Active Travel manifesto
• Cycling UK Making Cycling The Easy Choice  
• GoBike also supports the SUV Alliance manifesto https://www.suv-alliance.org.uk/

The ‘Joint Active Travel Manifesto for 2026’ calls for parties to commit to multi-year budgets, link public transport and improve road safety, in order to build on ongoing success and bring the benefits of walking/wheeling and cycling to more people.

From helping to reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions to improving public health and supporting local economies, the manifesto highlights some of the many benefits that active travel brings, calling on parties to pledge to support five key commitments:

1. Investment: provide long term investment to transform our local high streets and communities, committing at least 10% of the transport budget to active travel funding.

2. Long-term commitment: Multi-year budgets to accelerate delivery of national strategies on walking, wheeling and cycling, offer better value for money and give more people access to active travel, regardless of income and background.

3. Infrastructure: Transform our communities, enabling anyone, especially younger people – to travel more safely on foot, by wheeling or by bike. Including through well maintained, accessible networks of walking or cycling routes and reorganised streetspace, creating better, greener local places.

4. Link active and public transport: Integrate walking and cycling infrastructure with public transport in rural areas especially, providing alternatives to the car. Reducing congestion for all and effortlessly linking longer journeys.

5. Safety: Reduce road danger by lowering traffic speeds in our communities, by taking dangerous drivers off the road and by creating more accessible streets for all: implementing the pavement parking ban, reinforcing the new Highway Code and making welcoming spaces everyone can use and enjoy.

Increased national investment in active travel was supported by all major parties at the 2021 Holyrood election, and has led to impressive increases in walking, wheeling and cycling where projects have been delivered, Sadly, it’s not all good news as 12 people are killed or seriously injured while walking, wheeling or cycling every week in Scotland and more action is needed to keep people safe and reduce danger at source. [1]

The Scottish Government’s 2026 budget has set out increased funding for active travel and bus infrastructure over the next four years – an extremely welcome development that will help to create safer streets, healthier communities, and support more thriving local economies. The Joint Active Travel Manifesto calls on all political parties to commit to sustaining and building on this investment into the long term.

Devi Sridhar is Professor and Chair of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh and author of ‘How Not to Die Too Soon’. In support of the manifesto, Professor Sridhar said: “A move towards active travel isn’t about banning cars, but rather increasing options and freedoms for people to choose how they want to go to school, work or city centre, whether it’s walking, cycling or public transport. Getting people moving in theirdaily life should be a high priority for governments given that sedentary behaviour is a majorrisk factor for chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and dementia. Exercise also contributes at a cellular level to better mental health.

“Scotland has made positive steps in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go tocatch up with major European cities who have built active travel into urban design.”

Rose Marie Burke and John Newman, the parents of Emma Burke Newman who was killed while cycling in Glasgow City Centre in 2023, said: “Emma loved to cycle through her world, including her beloved Scotland. Unfortunately, careless driving and poor infrastructure took her away from us. Despite progress, let’s keep up the hard work to recognise and address the real issues in plain sight.”

Kay Corbett, owner of Outline Hair in the centre of Edinburgh, has supported customers to travel by bike by providing cycle parking inside her salon, and has advocated for further improvements for walking, wheeling and cycling on local shopping streets. Kay said: “I’m lucky enough to have my commute to work pass through Holyrood Park, and seeing the changing seasons in the park, and wildlife up close every day is unreal, you really couldn’t convince me there’s a better way to travel. The safer and more enjoyable an experience we can make it is the best way to encourage people to make the leap onto a bike.

“I can do all I like to encourage cycling to my business, talking to clients about biking, providing bike parking in the salon, but the biggest concern my staff and customers have is safety. The want to cycle is there. The issues remain clear that cycle lanes aren’t city wide yet.”

Jason Corbett, owner of Insider Tattoo, said as a small business owner: “I need to get about, my customers need to get about so the more people using active travel the more swiftly, safely and cleanly we will all move. It will give us both physical and mental health benefits and a cleaner environment for the future.”

The full manifesto for active travel, with list of all signatories, is available here

Notes

[1] https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/reported-road-casualties-scotland-2023/table-23-reported-casualties-by-mode-of-transport-and-severity/

Then we’ll skirt the edge of East Kilbride and end up at Calderglen Country Park around lunchtime. The return to Glasgow after a café lunch will be via East Kilbride town centre and cycle network.

We’ll swing by the new Hairmyres railway station (will it look like the image above?). Then onwards to Cathkin Braes Country Park and Castlemilk, then over to Rutherglen, and we will finish at Glasgow Green.
30 miles, mostly on paths and quieter roads, but occasional bits on main roads, and some unpaved paths at Cathkin.

Meet 10am at the north end of Bell’s Bridge, Congress Road, Glasgow.

See the GoBike rides page for more information.

The ‘Joint Active Travel Manifesto for 2026’, supported by a range of health, environmental and road safety organisations, calls for parties to commit to multi-year budgets, link public transport and improve road safety, in order to build on ongoing success and bring the benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling to more people.

From helping to reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions to improving public health and supporting local economies, the manifesto highlights some of the many benefits that active travel brings, calling on parties to pledge to support five key commitments on continued national investment, long-term funding, infrastructure, linking active and public transport, and creating safer streets.

1. Investment: provide long term investment to transform our local high streets andcommunities, committing at least 10% of the transport budget to active travel funding.

2. Long-term commitment: Multi-year budgets to accelerate delivery of nationalstrategies on walking/wheeling and cycling, offer better value for money and givemore people access to active travel regardless of income and background.

3. Infrastructure: Transform our communities, enabling anyone, especially youngerpeople – to travel more safely on foot, by wheeling or by bike. Including through wellmaintained, accessible networks of walking or cycling routes and reorganised streetspace, creating better, greener local places.

4. Link active and public transport: Integrate walking and cycling infrastructure withpublic transport in rural areas especially, to provide alternatives to the car. Reducingcongestion for all and effortlessly linking longer journeys.

5. Safety: Reduce road danger by reducing traffic speeds in our communities, by taking dangerous drivers off the road and by creating more accessible streets for all:implementing the pavement parking ban, reinforcing the new Highway Code and making welcoming spaces everyone can use and enjoy.

Research shows widespread support for improvements in Scotland, with a clear majority (62%) of people supporting increased dedicated space for cycling in their area ¹, while Living Streets’ Pedestrian Pound report indicated nearly half of people walk to the shops foreveryday necessities several times a week ². Data recently published by Sustrans also highlighted the strength of support from Scotland’s children, with 84% of children wantingmore traffic-free paths and quiet routes for walking, wheeling and cycling, and 77% supporting more dedicated cycle paths. ³ Paths for All’s attitudes survey further emphasised these priorities, showing 91% of people rate feeling safe if walking or wheeling alone as important. ⁴

Increased national investment in active travel was supported by all major parties at the 2021 Holyrood election, with record levels of investment leading to impressive increases in walking, wheeling and cycling where projects have been delivered, including the South CityWay in Glasgow, and national walking levels increasing in the past decade. ⁵

Sadly, it’s not all good news as 12 people are killed or seriously injured while walking, wheeling or cycling every week and more action is needed to keep people safe and reduce danger at source. ⁶

Devi Sridhar is Professor and Chair of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh and author of ‘How Not to Die Too Soon’. In support of the manifesto, Professor Sridhar said:

“A move towards active travel isn’t about banning cars, but rather increasing options and freedoms for people to choose how they want to go to school, work or city centre, whether it’s walking, cycling or public transport. Getting people moving in their daily life should be a high priority for governments given that sedentary behaviour is a major risk factor for chronic disease such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and dementia. Exercise also contributes at a cellular level to better mental health.

“Scotland has made positive steps in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go to catch up with major European cities who have built active travel into urban design”.

Rose Marie Burke and John Newman, the parents of Emma Burke Newman who was killed while cycling in Glasgow City Centre in 2023, said:

“In the name of Emma and all our children killed on the road, let’s do all we can to avoid needless death, trauma, suffering, and costs to society.”

For more information download the Joint Active Travel Manifesto for 2026.

1. Attitudes and Behaviours Towards Cycling in Scotland, Wave 5, 2023 | Cycling Scotland ︎
2. Pedestrian Pound, 3d Edition, 2024 | Living Streets ︎
3. The Children’s Walking and Cycling Index Scotland, 2024 | Sustrans ︎
4. National Survey of attitudes to walking and wheeling in Scotland, 2023 | Paths For All ︎
5. Walking rates in Scotland pick up pace, study finds | The University of Edinburgh ︎
6. Reported Road Casualties 2023 | Transport Scotland ︎

Transform Scotland’s Public affairs manager Laura Hyde-White said

“It is deeply disappointing to see the Government abandon its target to cut car traffic by 20% by 2030. This was a very ambitious goal which demanded transformational change.”

“Yet since its announcement progress has been piecemeal at best, with the Government spending the past four years tinkering with public transport fares and delivery plans stuck in limbo as responsibility bounced between national and local government.”

“But we need traffic reduction more than ever — not only for climate, but for cleaner air and safer streets, a healthier and fairer society, and a stronger economy.”

Read more here

Source: Transform Scotland

Photo by Quaid Lagan on Unsplash

One of the reasons for the lack of government consultation may be due to the upheaval in Government from the change in First Minister and also the double change in Transport Minister. Sadly, Kevin Stewart resigned due to ill health and we wish him well with his recovery. Fiona Hyslop was very recently appointed as Transport Minister.

Government published a ‘policy prospectus’ in April outlining it’s new priorities including a section on Net Zero and Just Transition which includes statements on active travel and transport.

This time we delve into guidance on local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods. I hope you find it helpful.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government – Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods – planning guidance

The Scottish Government is seeking views on draft guidance for local authorities on local living and developing plans for 20 minute neighbourhoods (20MN). 20MNs was a key theme within the 4th National Planning Framework but until now details were sketchy regarding how government expected councils to roll these out.

This draft guidance sets out more of the thinking behind 20MNs, the overall local living theme and the process that government wants councils to take in communities to understand the context, collaborate with communities, plan, design, implement and review.

The guidance is on the whole useful and the local living diagram on p19 helpfully shows the multiple elements which must be addressed in developing a 20MN (see Fig 1, below).

Previously I felt that government messaging on 20MN focused too heavily on planning and the need for councils to ensure local services are brought closer to people. Our concerns at Cycling UK was that not enough emphasis was on the need to improve local roads and create safe active travel infrastructure so that people could access those services by cycling, walking or wheeling.

The guidance does at least now show that how people move through the 20MN and the type of public space within the 20MN all need attention from the start.

If you are to write a response I suggest commenting on the following:

• Question 3 – In the Movement section key considerations to add in the ‘moving around’ section include – junctions, secure cycle storage on residential streets (bike hangars), public bike share schemes, joined-up cycle networks, speed restrictions e.g. 20mph zones, school streets and play streets.
• Question 4 – The structured approach is a positive inclusion in the guidance, however in understanding the context more guidance is needed on helping councils, stakeholders and members of the community to envision a positive future rather than dwell on solving current problems. For example, the transformation to 20MNs will take many years and therefore decisionmakers and members of the community should be guided to understand that the context in the future will be different to now and the plans need to match with that future reality rather than the current norms.
• Question 5 – The same need to ‘sell a vision of the future’ is especially important in the collection of qualitative data and therefore the guidance should provide more detail on how to facilitate discussions around a vision of the future rather than just slight improvements to current norms.
• Question 6 – The guidance needs more detail in some places. In planning and designing 20MNs the guidance needs to point to all the relevant guidance and how it must be followed, for example Cycling By Design.
• Question 8 – The case studies are helpful but it should be noted that these are early examples and the scope what can be achieved in 20MNs will grow as the concept becomes embedded in planning and the way councils work. The Stewarton case study highlights the challenge of retrofitting into existing communities and this includes, in many places, fitting safe cycling infrastructure into existing road networks. The Drymen case study helpfully shows that councils should treat ’20 minutes as a guide time rather than an absolute’.

This final point raised in the Drymen case study gets to the heart of the issue with 20MN in Scotland. Local living and developing 20MNs should be a process rather than an end point. Councils must make every effort to enable to live active lifestyles and live locally now rather than in ‘x’ years to come when every element of the guidance has been met.

The point of 20MNs must be to enable and facilitate local living. We want people in communities feel encouraged and enabled by the process to transform their way of living and travelling as soon as possible and for their lifestyles to improve as the efforts to develop local 20MNs grow too. However, this may take some flexibility in the interpretation and application of the 20MN concept and guidance. The 20min round trip concept is applicable to walking but many people who can ride a bike will be able to travel much further in a 20 minute round trip and have a larger/wider area within their idea of what is local and accessible by active transport.

Being flexible in the application of the concept would allow councils and people in communities to feel that local living is possible in the short term rather than thinking it will take a long time to be realised.

Closes 20 July 2023

1.2: Transport Scotland – Scotland’s Pavement Parking Prohibitions – Consultation on Enforcement Regulations for Local Authorities

Pavement parking is a scourge on our streets and is hazard and frustration for pedestrians and disabled people using pavements. But it’s also dangerous for anyone cycling as often this selfish activity narrows the space on the road or places an obstacle to negotiate. And don’t get me started on parking across a cycle lane!!

This consultation asks for opinions on fines and the technicalities of how enforcement will work.

Closes 28 July 2023

1.3: Scottish Government – Just Transition Discussion Papers

Just Transition for Transport

Just Transition for the Built Environment

The Scottish Government has published three sectoral discussion papers about how to deliver a just transition to a more sustainable future.

The Transport paper will clearly be important to respond to but I also recommend looking at the Built Environment document and provide opinions on how we create safe space in the places where we live and work for getting about sustainably.

There’s no deadline for responses and instructions to reply via an email address. I will try to provide a guide to responses in a forthcoming digest.

No deadline set

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None

As the case for supporting cycling and sustainable travel is made at #COP27, here in Scotland we continue to do the same nationally and locally. Sadly, despite positive commitments and policies in the past couple of years, financial pressures are once again creating uncertainty for budgets and priorities. Climate targets can’t be met without boosting active travel and that means we need more spending on projects and infrastructure which helps people to cycle, walk and wheel.

Police Scotland are also experiencing financial pressures and have put all projects on hold. This includes the National Dashcam Safety Portal – an online system for the public to upload camera footage and simply report incidents of bad driving.

The ongoing development of the new portal is under threat, so Cycling UK has a new e-action where you can write to the Chief Constable to say ‘Don’t scrap Scotland’s Dashcam Safety Portal’.

Read more in the blog post I wrote for Cycling UK.

*TAKE ACTION NOW* take the e-action – write to the Chief Constable and personalise your email by adding why road safety and the portal is important to you.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Sentencing Council – Death by Driving

Only a few days remaining.

The sentencing council is seeking views on their draft guideline on the statutory offences involving causing death by driving. The guidance is for the courts to use when setting sentences in cases where death has been caused by careless or dangerous driving.

The consultation asks questions on:

• the overall style and structure of the guideline and its interaction with other guidelines
• the content of the guidance contained within the guideline
• the potential impacts of the guideline

The proposed guidance itself is well set out and clear – it makes sense to have the offences ordered by seriousness with the most serious appearing first.

However, what many people want to see are tougher sentences and courts using their sentencing powers to give out tough penalties. It’s interesting that the consultation document explains that currently the public generally expects tougher sentences than the courts deliver. This has to work for the public and victim’s families as well as being fair to offenders.

This consultation is not the ideal format to call for tough sentences for causing death by driving or other driving offences but there’s no harm in stating clearly what you want to see in order to make the roads safer.

Cases of drivers killing other other people whilst behind the wheel and receiving a short sentence are all too familiar. Pleas for tougher sentencing for road crime seem to go nowhere. Now is the chance to tell the sentencing council what you think.

Closes 22 November 2022

1.2: Transport Scotland – Cycling Framework for Active Travel

Transport Scotland is consulting on an important new strategy for cycling – specifically cycling for active travel. The draft Cycling Framework for Active Travel outlines the Scottish Government’s priorities for cycling up to 2030, and specifically aims to boost transport cycling (everyday cycling) for short local journeys.

This new strategy is the follow-up to the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland 2017-2020 and to be honest its a whole lot better. So if you agree and think that, on the whole, its a positive strategy please use this opportunity to praise Transport Scotland for going a good job.

Sadly, as cycle campaigners we are all too familiar with having to review draft documents which don’t promise to deliver what is needed for cycling. This new Cycling Framework is better but we can still provide input to improve it.

Cycling UK has produced a guide to responding to the consultation which includes suggestions for answers to supplement your own ideas.

Closes 19 December 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None this month.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

The Scottish Government has now published the independent analysis report of the responses to the Draft National Planning Framework 4 consultation.  Further information, and the Revised Draft NPF4, is available at TransformingPlanning.scot.

It was a much shorter version of the annual government workplan than previous years but it did still include priorities to enable cycling in Scotland. To be honest there wasn’t much new for active travel, which was disappointing after last year, but there were still positive policies for the Minister and his civil servants to get stuck into and deliver this year.

Read more in my analysis of the PfG from Cycling UK in Scotland.

Take a look back at the progress government made to deliver on last year’s PfG commitments in Cycling UK’s recent PfG status report.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government –  Land reform in a Net Zero Nation: consultation paper

Government is working on a Land Reform Bill to be brought forward during this Parliament. This is part of the consultation process.

You may have comments to make on the right use of land for tackling climate change and the nature crisis and ensuring a just transition but there’s also scope to comment here on improving access for cycling in Scotland.

Part 6 proposes that there should be a duty on large-scale landowners to publish Land Management Plans and part 8 proposes those who receive public funds should be required to produce them.

At Cycling UK we hear too many cases of landowners preventing access to their land for walking and cycling, despite people having right of responsible access under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

This new Land Reform Bill and consultation is a good opportunity to require large landowners, who are in receipt of public money, to be required to comply with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

In other words, if they don’t allow access to their land and don’t follow the code, the public money they receive can be stopped. At present there doesn’t seem to be enough penalty for land owners flouting this law.

Closes 25 September 2022

1.2: Scottish Sentencing Council – Death by Driving

The sentencing council is seeking views on their draft guideline on the statutory offences involving causing death by driving.

Cases of drivers killing other other people whilst behind the wheel and receiving a short sentence are all too familiar. Pleas for tougher sentencing for road crime seem to go nowhere. Now is the chance to tell the sentencing council what you think.

More on this consultation next time.

Closes 22 November 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Transport Scotland is developing a new Cycling Framework and Delivery Plan for Active Travel which is the follow up to the Cycling Action Plan. This will be very important for driving forward action on cycling so will be a highlight of a digest sometime in the autumn.

The Scottish Government is working on a new Climate Change Plan which should be published for consultation this autumn.

The Scottish Government is also working on an Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan which will cover transport such as electric and hydrogen vehicle and should also include e-bikes.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government – Review of permitted development rights – phase 2 consultation

This review of permitted development rights (PDRs) covers two areas you may be interested in providing your views on to government:

• Electric vehicle charging infrastructure – making it easier to install EV chargers in our communities.
• Changes of use in centres and other locations – making it easier to change building use which could have benefit in creating 20-minute neighbourhoods.

The biggest issue in this consultation is that we want more EV charging points and they should be easier to install. But (and its a big BUT) EV chargers must not be located in places which block pavements or cycle lanes. Sounds obvious, but there are plenty of examples of bad practice. For example, see my response to this tweet.

Question 15 is the key question to respond to on this. It asks ‘What conditions and limitations would need to be placed on any additional PDR for EV charging infrastructure in roads? Please explain your answer’. Here are a few points I suggest you make:

• More EV charging infrastructure on Scotland’s roads as one of the solutions to decarbonising transport.
• Limitations must be set so that EV chargers are not located on footways, footpaths or cycle ways.
• EV chargers for cars, vans and other EV vehicles should be in the carriageway or take space from the carriageway. For example, through a build out of the footway into the carriageway. (There may be some exceptions where a footway/pavement is wide enough to accommodate chargers.)
• EV charging points on footpaths and footways often leave insufficient space for pedestrians to safely pass. Furthermore, they can be hazardous for blind, partially sighted and disabled people.
• EV charging points should not be installed where their cables could obstruct future cycle tracks, since charging points cannot be relocated easily.
• PDRs should extend to EV charging for e-bikes so that councils and other bodies can install e-bike charging facilities at new or future cycle parking infrastructure.

Closes 3 August 2022.

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Transport Scotland is developing a new Cycling Framework and Delivery Plan for Active Travel which is the follow up to the Cycling Action Plan. This will be very important for driving forward action on cycling so will be a highlight of a digest sometime in the autumn.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

With the elections coming consultations have once again dried up. Like me, you might be grateful because its been a busy couple of months of writing responses. One left – the STPR2 consultation which closes on the 15th April.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Transport Scotland – Strategic Transport Projects Review – STPR2

There’s only a few days left to respond to this important consultation. The format is mainly drop down menu style with extra space for comments about the recommended projects in each section.

STPR2 is a shortlist of transport infrastructure projects for delivery over the next 20 years which will help Scotland to decarbonise transport as well as other objectives. This is positive and a change from the first STPR which was notable for locking in high carbon infrastructure such as motorway building and the Queensferry Bridge.

However, STPR2 still has big projects – creating a network of cycle lanes is a big job – but different in that they will be delivered by multiple actors.

I have produced a guide (below) for Cycling UK, to help people respond to the consultation – anyone is welcome to use this. Read more background in the associated STPR2 blog post.

The guide provide guidance on how to answer questions dealing with the recommendations that can benefit cycling, such as:

• Active Freeway & Cycle Parking Hubs
• Rural cycling connections
• 20 minute neighbourhoods
• Behaviour change projects
• Access to bikes
• Cycling to school
• 20mph zones
• Speed limits review

The guide doesn’t advise on the rights or wrongs of other projects such as the Glasgow Metro system!

Closes 15 April 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

Transport Scotland is developing a new Cycling Framework and Delivery Plan for Active Travel which is the follow up to the Cycling Action Plan. This will be very important for driving forward action on cycling so will be a highlight of a future digest.

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

Section 4: Election Actions Special

There are lots of way to get involved ahead of the election on 5 May. Below are a few of the actions you can take via active travel campaign partners. Sorry if I have missed any.

4.1: Cycling UK in Scotland – Scotland local election e-action

Cycling UK are calling for cycling revolutions in local communities across Scotland to enable more people to cycle for pleasure and short local journeys, in attractive and safe urban and rural spaces.

Councils must make this happen by spending the record levels of funding now available for cycling, walking and wheeling on high-quality cycle routes and other projects which make neighbourhoods better for people.

Election webpage – for more information
Manifesto – 10 things councils must do
Petition – how you can join in calling for action – please sign.

Cycling UK also has a new Election 2022 toolkit for cycle campaigners.

4.2 Pedal on Parliament

Join thousands of others on Saturday 23 April in Edinburgh for a 10-year anniversary Pedal on Parliament. More information about the ride, which starts at 1pm, is at pedalonparliament.org

4.3 Walk Wheel Cycle Vote

WWCV focusses on accessibility in active travel infrastructure and public spaces. See the WWCV website to contact your candidates. Also use your social media accounts to post photos of good infrastructure near you and use the hashtag #MoreOfThisPlease.

4.4 Ramblers Scotland

Ramblers Scotland’s election page has five things you can do ahead of the election.

4.5 Living Streets

Take action where you live.