This weeks’ Scottish Budget saw the Scottish Government boost the budget for active travel by 30% to a new record of £150m. This is the third increase in successive years and comes after the Programme for Government commitment to spend at least 10% of the transport budget on walking, cycling, and wheeling by 2024/25.

That’s just two years’ away so many were hoping for more from this budget to put Scotland on a straight line increasing trajectory to £320m (see red line in diagram below). That would have needed approximately a £70m boost this time but an extra £34.5m is not to be sniffed at. Rather we have to look to the promised Spending Review in May (see consultation 1.5 below) to make the case for even bigger budgetary increases over the next two years and beyond.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Transport Scotland – NTS2 Delivery Plan – Impact Assessments Consultation

Impact assessments are being undertaken on 37 strategic policies within the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) Delivery Plan and Transport Scotland would like to get your views on the initial screening of impacts through a survey.

Closes 5 January 2022

1.2: Scottish Parliament – Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)

The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee is leading an inquiry into the draft NPF4. Responses to this are needed early in January, whereas the Government’s consultation closes at the end of March – see 1.6 below.

The NPF4 is a major document setting out the direction for national planning policy and national developments for the next decades. The fourth NPF is focussed on meeting the net-zero target and supporting the nature restoration and recovery.

For the first time NPF4 includes a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a national development, which should be welcomed. Also relevant to Glasgow is a ‘Clyde Mission’ national development. However, there’s not a great deal of detail on these proposed policies.

The Committee is seeking opinions on some different questions to those asked on the Government consultation so its worth bearing these in mind as you write your opinions.

The four questions, posed by the Committee, are useful for calling for better provision for cycling – see suggestions to include in answers in italics.

• What does your ideal home look like and what surrounds it? – Cycling parking, local cycle access to services.
• How can we design our environments to address climate change? – Dense networks of cycling infrastructure, and 20-minute neighbourhoods.
• How do you use space to stay healthy and well? – The importance of cycling to stay healthy and well and the need for planned high quality infrastructure to achieve this.
• How can planning encourage people to live in rural areas? – Rural areas also need cycle routes but also lower speed limits. Community travel hubs can also help guide people to sustainable travel solutions.

You can respond to the Committee in one of two ways – either use the survey type format or answer the above questions in writing (they welcome pictures or videos too). See the Committee’s page for more information.

The online survey-style response format seeks opinions on each section of the draft NPF4 to ask to what extent the policies in the draft document meet a list of criteria, including:

• support efforts to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets
• improve health and wellbeing
• improve equality  
• interact with other Scottish Government strategies 
• conflict with other outcomes and state how these conflicts will be managed 

Closes 10 January 2022

1.3: Scottish Parliament – Inquiry into the role of local government and its cross-sectoral partners in financing and delivering a net-zero Scotland

The Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee have a new inquiry looking into the role of local government in delivering Scotland’s net zero target. Ahead of the local election in May this is inquiry could make useful recommendations about the delivery of active travel infrastructure and cycling projects by Local Authorities.

The Committee is looking to find out the main barriers at a local level, to Scotland reaching its net zero targets. It will consider what practical steps councils are taking to break them down, in partnership with business, the voluntary sector, and local communities. It will also highlight areas where change will be needed if councils are to play a full role in the helping us achieve the goal of a net zero Scotland.

GoBike and GoBike members are probably well placed to provide the Committee with useful experience of working with councils – especially to answer question 10: How are councils working with cross-sectoral partners to decarbonise transport (including encouraging active travel) and to improve air quality?

There are 12 questions posed by the Committee to be answered in an online format – but as usual you don’t need to answer all of them.

Closes 21 January 2022

1.4: Scottish Government – NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy 2022 to 2026 – draft

The Scottish Government and NHS Assure have developed a draft Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022 to 2026 for NHS Scotland.

I haven’t looked through this yet but there must be opportunities to suggest how active travel can be part of this strategy. Comments should be returned on the template in the supporting documents by email.

Closes 10 February 2022

1.5: Scottish Government – Investing in Scotland’s Future: Resource Spending Review Framework

I will look at this consultation in more detail in 2022.

Closes 27 March 2022

1.6: Scottish Government – Draft National Planning Framework 4

There’s a good few months to respond to the Government about the NPF4. Overall its a positive document aiming to drive planning and national developments towards addressing the climate emergency.

The big news for cycling is the inclusion of a National Cycling, Walking and Wheeling Network as a National Development. There’s also more detail on creating 20 minute neighbourhoods.

I will look into this consultation and provide more suggestions for responses in the new year.

Closes 31 March 2022

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

I expect Transport Scotland to publish its ‘route map’ for how it will achieve its target for a 20% reduction in car journey kilometres by 2030. It’s not clear how Government will consult on this plan.

Also next year Transport Scotland is likely to consult on the second part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

None this month

Commitments from the deal have been included in the Programme for Government, published this week. Here are some highlights from the PfG:

• Spend at least £320 million or 10% of the total transport budget goes on active travel by 2024-25
• New Cycling Framework for Active Travel – to be published in 2022
• Establishing an active freeway network for Scotland
• Ensure all appropriate roads in built-up areas have a safer speed limit of 20 mph by 2025
• An online reporting system – a 1‑year pilot project enabling anyone to upload camera footage of dangerous driving.
• Maintaining the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme
• Produce a route map, by the end of 2021, for achieving the target to reduce the use of cars – measured as ‘car kilometres’ – by 20% by 2030
• Deliver on our vision for “20-minute neighbourhoods”
• Place Based Investment programme, backed with £325 million over the next five years.

There’s only a couple of smallish consultations from Transport Scotland this month. In the coming weeks and months, as the new parliamentary term really gets going, we expect there to be an increase in consultations , some of which will seek opinions on implementing the above policies.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Transport Scotland – Consultation on Penalty Charge Notices for Parking Enforcement

Illegal and inconsiderate parking is at best an annoyance and at worst a safety risk for cyclists. The government is consulting on parking charges including differentiating between different offences. For example, it makes sense to charge someone more for parking on a double yellow than for overstaying their time in a parking space. As the consultation says ‘For enforcement to be effective, penalty charges for parking in breach of the prohibitions need to be set at an appropriate level.’

Closes 4 October 2021

1.2: Transport Scotland – Membership of the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board Consultation

This may be a wee bit niche, however, if like me you agree that public bike share schemes should be part of smart ticketing in Scotland it’s worth a quick response – even if you answer only Question 1 which asks whether disability organisations and active travel organisations should be included on the Board.

Closes 12 October 2021

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

No specific consultations expected

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

3.1: Law Commission (& Scottish Law Commission) – Automated Vehicles: A regulatory framework for automated vehicles

This was featured in Consultation Digest (National) Issue 5 in March. Here is the response we received to the GoBike submission:

“Dear All,

The team has spent the last few months reviewing the materials submitted in response to our third consultation which closed in March this year. We are pleased to announce the publication of the summary of responses to our paper. In it we outline the key arguments put to us and direction of travel as we work towards the final report at the end of this year.

We have also put all the responses we received on our website.

Today we are also publishing a draft impact assessment and questions about the impact of our proposed reforms alongside the summary and welcome views.

Between now and the final report we have no further consultations planned but the team will be very happy to hear from you should you wish to bring any developments or ideas to our attention.

The summary of responses and next steps, all consultation responses received and our draft impact assessment are available on our project pages at https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/automated-vehicles/ or https://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/law-reform/law-reform-projects/joint-projects/automated-vehicles/ 

Yours sincerely,

Automated Vehicles Team – Law Commissions

 Email: automatedvehicles@lawcommission.gov.uk

As the new Scottish Government (albeit similar to the last one) begins its work there are a couple of consultations to point you towards this month, as well as a chance to look ahead to what might be coming up for the rest of the year.  

As we all know the SNP won the election but didn’t secure a majority in Parliament. Talks continue with the Greens about a more formal political arrangement.  Michael Matheson MSP remains as Cabinet Secretary covering transport but his remit is expanded to Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport.

There’s also a new Minister for Transport who has responsibility for active travel with Graeme Dey MSP appointed to this new role.

In the year when COP26 comes to Glasgow it’s hopefully a sign of the importance and priority that Nicola Sturgeon is placing on addressing the climate emergency and achieving Scotland’s emission reduction targets – and with transport remaining the sector contributing the most emissions it’s good to see transport as part of the Cabinet Secretary’s brief.

The SNP’s manifesto had the eye-catching free bikes for kids promise. This also appeared in the SNP’s first 100 days document, so we expect government to be developing this policy through the summer.

Government officials will also be beavering away developing the Programme for Government, usually published at the beginning of September. This and the later Budget will really show if the Scottish Government is serious about urgent investment in active travel and quicker roll out of active travel infrastructure.

This year we also expect consultations on the ‘roadmap’ to achieve the 20% car km reduction target, and for the second phase of the Strategic Transport Project Review 2.

Section 1: Current Consultations

(in date order for responses)

1.1: Scottish Government – Local Place Plan Regulations

This consultation is about how Local Place Plans (LPPs) are developed rather than the need for them. LPPs stem from the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, and as the consultation document says:

‘Improving community involvement in the planning system was a key aim of planning reform from the outset. The independent planning review recommended that communities should be empowered to bring forward their own LPPs, and these should form part of the development plan.’

‘Local Place Plans offer the opportunity for a community led, but collaborative, approach to creating great local places. LPPs can support community aspirations on the big challenges for a future Scotland such as responding to the global climate emergency and tackling inequalities. It is vital that local people have the opportunity to engage meaningfully and have a positive influence in the future planning of development in their areas.’

Local Place Plans could be key to improving greenspace and active travel infrastructure in our communities – making places for people to enjoy and thrive in.

Closes 25 June 2021

1.2: Transport Scotland – Traffic Regulation Orders

Following the attempt by Mark Ruskell MSP in 2019 to bring a 20mph Bill to Parliament the Government agreed to review Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) – the regulations covering how local authorities can make changes to roads, from installing a cycle lane to changing parking restrictions.

Despite Mark Ruskell’s bill failing to become law Government was open to streamlining processes for councils to make changes. There are many examples of cycle lanes being held up by procedural red tape and disproportionate emphasis placed on objections.

If Scotland is to roll out safe cycling infrastructure at the rate needed to get people cycling and meet our climate targets, Government must enable councils to make changes quickly and have confidence that they are doing so for the greater good rather than needing to respond to objections from a few loud voices.

During the lockdown last year councils across Scotland used Temporary TRO legislation to install infrastructure. However, one of the consultation proposals aims to make Experimental TROs (ETROs) more useful for trialling measures before deciding if they should become permanent.

The proposals are welcome and we should support them as it gives councils the opportunity to see if measures work and to collect responses from the community as the experiment continues. The idea is that changes could be made during the experimental period.

In responding to Q7 of the consultation I would advise that when deciding whether a measure should be made permanent after the experimental period, Government and local authorities should put more emphasis on opinions once the trial has had time to bed in rather than at the beginning. Councils should pay more attention to data on community response to the scheme near the end of the trial rather than knee-jerk reactions to change and loud shouts at the beginning.

In setting up an ETRO local authorities should set clear objectives for the change being made and establish a proportionate monitoring process.

The consultation also asks for views on changing regulations on Loading Restrictions. We believe there is a clear need to revise the legislation in relation to holding a Public Local Inquiry (PLI) where there are objections to TROs containing loading or unloading restrictions. For example it’s wrong for one business to hold up a new cycle lane where many people benefit just because they can’t unload outside their premises.

Finally the consultations asks for opinions on Redetermination Orders – for changing the use of a road or path, for example to allow a path to be used by cyclists. This is important but I haven’t quite got to the bottom of this regulation yet. However, any responses should be clear that, Q9, the procedures regarding redetermination orders need to change and Q10, legislation should be reviewed.

I will be looking at this consultation in more detail in the coming weeks so look out for this in next month’s digest or on Cycling UK’s campaigning in Scotland webpages.

Closes 30 July 2021

1.3: Transport Scotland – Workplace Parking Licensing – Consultation on Regulations and Guidance

This consultation landed just hours ago so little time to bite into, let alone digest this one. The consultation introduction s explains:

‘This consultation on Workplace Parking Licensing (WPL) Scheme regulations and guidance gives us an opportunity to seek your opinions on the regulatory framework and supporting guidance which will underpin local authorities’ WPL schemes, should they choose to implement WPL.’

‘This consultation is not about the design or implementation of any individual town or city-specific WPL scheme. Local authorities will be required to undertake a consultation on their local schemes.‘

Closes 6 September 2021

Section 2: Forthcoming Consultations

None expected

Section 3: Consultation Feedback

No feedback this month

We can confirm that a representative from each of the five major political parties will attend and have so far had named confirmations from:

Patrick Harvie – Scottish Green Party
Alex Rowley – Scottish Labour Party
Graham Simpson – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Kaukab Stewart – Scottish National Party
David McKenzie – Scottish Liberal Democrats

As with most things over the past year, this event will be online. Please sign up here (link) for free to receive instructions on how to join us. The hustings is open to all with an interest in active travel, so we hope as many of our members and friends can attend.

Our hustings will run under the Wheel, Walk, Cycle Vote banner where we will focus our questions around their three pledges on accessibility, infrastructure and investment.

Walk, Wheel, Cycle, Vote is a collaborative campaign asking all candidates for the Scottish Parliament to sign up to three clear pledges that will make Scotland a country where everyone has the choice to walk, wheel or cycle in safety for their everyday journeys. The pledges are:

• Accessibility: Ensure that our streets, paths and footways are accessible to everyone, whether on foot or using any form of mobility aid; by putting accessibility at the heart of our street design, we will create places everyone can use and enjoy.
• Infrastructure: Create a long-term programme to rebuild our villages, towns and cities around walking, wheeling and cycling, with active travel infrastructure everyone can use – the initial goal should be that every child who wants to can walk, wheel or cycle to their school.
• Investment: Provide the sustained, long-term investment needed to start this transformation of Scotland into a country that enables active travel everywhere – starting from 10% of the transport budget, and rising to 20% over the course of the parliament.

Read the asks in full here.