Transport Scotland’s new Transport Minister Graeme Dey has confirms the Scottish Government’s commitment to walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys.
During a speech made during Bike Week, Mr Dey confirmed that over £1.2 million is being provided to build on the increases Scotland has seen in cycling over the last year.
Transport Scotland has allocated £900,000 from its Active Travel budget to support Energy Saving Trust’s eBike Grant Fund in 2021/22. Through a new round of funding, more organisations will be able to take advantage of e-bikes, adapted cycles and e-cargo bikes to meet the needs of their local communities, whilst improving Scotland’s air quality, health and sense of wellbeing.
Over £390,000 will support Shift, Cycling UK Scotland’s new project for 2021/22. It will enable a wide range of organisations across the country to use the power of cycling to transform their communities and create thriving and liveable neighbourhoods through small grants awards.
Mr Dey also welcomed a new report from CoMoUK, demonstrating that the Edinburgh and Glasgow free bike share programme, funded by the Scottish Government, attracted 18,000 new users between June and September 2020. This is further evidence that access to bikes can be as effective as ownership in increasing cycle journeys.
Ahead of the National Active Travel Conference 2021, organised by Scotland’s Active Travel Delivery Partners, Mr Dey said:“We’re committed here in Scotland to building an Active Nation, where people choose to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys. To support this, funding for active travel is now at record level of £115 million pounds for 2021/22.
“During Bike Week 2021, I’m pleased to confirm funding from this budget to support two fantastic programmes from Energy Saving Trust and Cycling UK. They have the potential to help lock-in some of the positive changes we’ve seen in cycling over the past year by providing funding to businesses and communities.
“The significant commitments to active travel that were set out in the Government’s manifesto underline the important role we see it playing in Scotland’s green recovery. We will continue to fund infrastructure and behavioural change projects which can help us bring about the transformational shift that we need to see, in order to meet our world leading target of net zero by 2045 – and I look forward to working with our active travel partners to help achieve this.”
