The Spring Spokes Bulletin praises Edinburgh City’s remarkable “5% + external funding” budget decision [also rising by 1% a year] as a model for other Scottish Councils…
The new Spokes Bulletin 112, Spring 2012 [link to Bulletins page] highlights Edinburgh’s recent tremendous budget decision and urges people living in other Scottish Council areas to lobby their representatives for similar action.
We would like to see every council in Scotland invest in cycling, from its own transport budget, a % which is at least equivalent to their existing bike commuter modal share. For example, if at least 2% of trips to work are by bike, then at least 2% of the Council’s own transport budget should be invested in making road conditions more welcoming and safer for cycling. In Edinburgh the Scottish Household survey suggests that somewhat over 5% of trips to work are already by bike, a figure in line with the above budget decision.
At present roughly half of all Scottish councils invest zero (yes, £0) in cycling from their own internal transport budget, relying entirely on using some of the government’s CWSS grant [Cycling, Walking, Safer Streets] plus anything they can raise from outside bodies such as Sustrans. For anyone lobbying in other council areas, Spokes provides some hints/suggestions – click this link and see section called ‘update’ .
Also in Spokes Bulletin 112…
- Government retreat on active travel budget cuts after massive campaign [see also Feb 10 news item]
- Bike use booming in Edinburgh [see also Nov 15 news item]
- Big employment boost resulting from cycling growth and investment [see also jobs appendix in Sustrans Scotland budget submission [pdf 431k] and Edinburgh Bike Coop jobs news]
- Princes Street paradise (in December!) [see also Dec 7 news item]
- A90 ‘flagship’ bike route remains disaster area despite 2007 Scottish Government promise to invest in cycle links to Forth Bridge [for background see p7 in Spokes 110].
- Youngster independent cycling Spokes 2012 project [see also our 2011 Weans on Wheels project and factsheet]
- Council elections May 3 – important!! + Lib Dem 2007 manifesto [see also Spokes election hustings, March 29]
- The Bulletin also includes a Transform Scotland pullout supplement [pdf 1.1MB] featuring their Civilising the Streets report
- And lots more info/ideas/suggestions for letters/emails…
Also published alongside Bulletin 112 is Spokesworker 21.2.12 [link to Spokesworker page] …
- Bike/rail issues [see also Feb 14 news item for more on one aspect]
- Budget campaigns – Spokes praised
- Bike Stn 30,000th bike now recycled [see also Bike Stn blog news]
- South Edinburgh 20mph – article from Council road safety officer
- and more…
