Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop has announced the allocation of a further £10 million of Scottish Government funding to help make walking, wheeling and cycling easier for shorter everyday journeys.

Local Authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships from across Scotland have applied to the Tier 2 of the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund this year through a competitive process.

Projects awarded funding include:

• ‘Connecting Woodside’ St Georges Road/Charing Cross Active Travel in Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• Alva to Tillicoultry Safe Active Travel route in Clackmannanshire
• Bell Street ‘Green Transport Hub’ – Active Travel Gateway Connections in Dundee

Making the announcement at Cycling Scotland’s Annual Conference and as part of Scotland’s Challenge Poverty Week, Ms Hyslop said: “We need to encourage more people to leave the car at home for short journeys, especially in and around people’s local neighbourhoods where they live and use local services and businesses. Doing so will help people be more active, feel healthier and cut emissions, while supporting local economic growth.

“Statistics show that people on lower incomes are less likely to own cars, and more children in the most deprived communities are likely to be injured or killed by a vehicle in the area they live. Making communities safer and more pleasant to get around in is important in Challenge Poverty Week, as is helping everyone to save money by offering cheaper ways to get around.

“We have already committed over £145 million this year to projects that make it easier to walk, wheel and cycle – including £35 million through Tier 1 of the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund.

“I know there is huge local appetite and demand to take forward transformative walking, wheeling and cycling projects and this funding will help Local Authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships to deliver these.”