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National

Selected letters and submissions to the Scottish Government, MSPs, and other national bodies.  There are also many useful submissions from Sustrans Scotland and Transform Scotland.

  • Sheriffhall roundabout – for specifics, see our South Edinburgh page, but see below [1706] for general trunk road issues raised by this
  • Permitted development rights (PDR) for front-garden sheds/containers – Spokes campaign – see our Bike Storage: Gardens page.

2408 Scot Gov AT budgetnew ‘Transformation’ approach to using the AT budget.

2312 Scot Gov budget 23/24 Draft budget, Spokes comments /

2310 Scot Gov AT policy queries – we contacted Active Travel Minister Patrick Harvie MSP about matters including those below / Response /

2309 Programme for Government 23/24The PfG document / Spokes article /

2306 Local Living & 20-minute nbdsdraft planning guidance / consultation page / Spokes response /

2212 Scottish Budget 23/24  Spokes article / tweet /

2212 STPR2 Final [see also 2201 below] Summary report (48 pages) / Full report (156 pages) / Appraisal summary for Edinburgh & SE Scot / Recommendation 3 – Village & town ATLink to other Appendices,Recommendations etc /

2211 NPF4 Revised draft (National Planning Framework) for approval by Parliament (see also 2111 below)

2209 Scot Gov: Cycling Framework & Delivery Plan for Active Travel 2022-2030  Consultation page / the document / annex (overview of related policies) / Spokes response / tweet /

2208 A Modern and Sustainable Ferry Service for Scotland  Scottish Parliament, Net Zero Committee, Inquiry   Consultation page   Spokes response   All responses (searchable) 

2205 Permitted Development Rights (PDR) for town centre changes & EV infrastructure [a very complex consultation]  Consultation page  Consultation document  Living Streets Scotland response  Spokes email endorsing LS response

2201 STPR2 – Strategic Transport Projects Review [see 2102 for previous stage including spokes response] Again this time there are many documents – only the most relevant are below.   Consultation p1  Consultation p2 

2201 20% Car-km Reduction Commitment by 2030, Route Map [see also 2012 & 2109 below] Consultation page  The Route Map  Route Map Technical Annex  Spokes preliminary article [see part 2]  Spokes response (nicely laid out)  Spokes response (official format)

2112 Pavement Parking Regulations  ScotGov consultation [ends 11.3.22] on the regulations to be adopted to implement the prohibition on pavement parking in The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (which also covers double parking & parking across dropped kerbs).  Consultation / Living Streets initial concerns / Spokes response 

2112 Tactile Paviours [see also 1907 below]  New government guidance on use of paviours – doesn’t seem to have paid attention to our 1907 consultation submission

2111 ETRO Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders  [also 2106, 2010 & 1910 below]  Traffic Regulation Orders (Procedure) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/348 comes into force, making it easier to introduce ETROs and to convert them to permanent TROs.  Explanatory Note.  A big step forward, but more needed, requiring primary legislation.

2111 NPF4 – National Planning Framework 4 – draft version [2011 & 2004 below for earlier stages]  NPF4 draft document (The 18 ‘National Developments’ in NPF4  include National Walking, Cycling, Wheeling network; Edinburgh Waterfront and Rapid Transit Network Edinburgh & Glasgow).  There are 2 NPF4 consultations…

2110 Scottish Building Regs: energy aspects  Consultation – it includes EV provision in new buildings, so an opportunity to seek national standards for bike storage.  Spokes unfortunately didn’t manage a response, but we …

  • Wrote separately to the Active Travel Minister / letter 28.10.21 / Response /
  • Suggested to Green councillors an amendment to Edinburgh Council’s draft response – it was accepted by Transport Cttee / However although the government’s consultation analysis commented briefly on the role of e-bikes (para 8.1.4) it omitted to comment on the issue of bike storage in Building Regs /

2110 Scot Gov Aviation Strategy  Consultation page  Consultation document  SCCS response  Transform response  [no Spokes response]

2109 Scot Gov 20% traffic reduction target & relationship with growth of EVs  Spokes email to Graeme Dey, Transport Minister  Government reply

Scottish Budget 22/23 (Covid recovery)

2108 Parking Enforcement Penalty Charges  Consultation on fee levels for both existing offences and future offences of pavement, double and dropped-kerb parking  Consultation page  Spokes response

2106 Workplace Parking Levy  Consultation on regulations/procedures  Consultation page  Govt news release  Spokes response  See also 1802 below. 

2106 Traffic Regulation Orders Consultation on changing procedures for ETRO, TRO, RSO  Consultation page  Some Spokes background in appendix 1 here.   Also 2010 & 1910 below.  Spokes response   Response by BEST  Response by Paths for All   Edinburgh Council response – see p3 & app 1 of TEC Business Bulletin 19.8.21

2102 STPR2 – Strategic Transport Projects Review  Consultation page    Note there are many STPR2 documents, the 2 most important being STPR2 Main Report [mainly concerns near future] & Case for Change [mainly concerns next 20 years].   Feedback is sought on…

2102 Infrastructure Investment Plan 21/22-25/26  Document  Our comments on the draft in 2009 below.

Scottish Budget 21/22  [no Spokes submission this year]

2012 Climate Change Plan Update 2018-32 Includes the remarkable commitment to cut Scotland road traffic miles 20% by 2030.  Consultn page  Full Document  Spokes response   Transform response   SCCS response

2012 Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 consultation [chap 8 is specifically on transport]  Consultn page  Full Document no spokes volunteer

2011 NPF4 – National Planning Framework 4 – ‘position statement’ consultation [2004 below for previous stage]  Consultn document  Consultn page  this is an interim mini-consultation, we await the full one to respond

2010 TRO/RSO procedures  Correspondence between Scot Parl Cross Party Group on Cycling, Walking, Buses and Michael Matheson MSP, Cab Sec for Transport etc, seeking simplified procedures [CPG letters initial drafting by Spokes]  CPG 1st letter 20.10.20  MM reply 26.11.20  CPG 2nd letter 21.1.21  MM reply 17.2.21  DdF paper for CPG, summarising outcome

2010 Garden sheds for bikes – Consultation on Permitted Development Rights (PDR) – See para 2010 on our garden bike storage page

2009 Infrastructure Investment Plan (draft)Consultation document  Consultation page Initial Transform Scotland view   Spokes response

2009 Scotland Road Safety Framework to 2030  Includes 2050 Vision Zero and “ambitious interim targets”  Consultation page  Consultation document  Spokes response 

2007 UK govt’s Highway Code consultation with proposals to improve cycling safety  Consultation page  Consultation document  Proposals summary  Spokes response

2004 STPR2 “Case for Change” report for Edinburgh & S.E. Scotland Describes “problems” & “opportunities”  Draft report [16MB]  STPR2 page  No Spokes response in time.  NB: see 1912 below re the national STPR2 report.

2004 NPF4 – National Planning Framework 4 – ‘ideas’ stage  Consultation page  Useful government explanatory note  Blog by Prof Iain Docherty  Spokes response

2001 Infrastructure Commission ‘Key Findings’ report Infra Comm website [see 1905 below for consultation stage]

1912 STPR2 – Strategic Transport Projects Review 2  Consultation page  Spokes response

1910 National Transport Strategy  Consultation page  Spokes response

1910 Transport (Scotland) Bill [see also 1907 & 1809 below] – Final attempt at Stage 3 of Bill to (somewhat) speed up the TRO/RSO process.  Briefing document.   Spokes supportive email.

Scottish Budget 2020/21

1907 Tactile Paviours  Following serious injuries in Edinburgh, Spokes responded to a government consultation (which, as in the current ancient guidance, neglected cycling safety).  We also emailed Spokes member Ian Murray MP, who received the following fairly anodyne reply from  the Minister.

1907 Active Travel Task Force Delivery Plan The Delivery Plan  [1806] The Task Force report itself.  See 1611-1705 below for consultations leading to the report.

1907 Transport (Scotland) Bill [see also 1809 below] – Spokes letter to Cabinet Secretary to support TRO/RSO amendmentsScotGov reply [implies will be years, as presumably has to await another Transport Bill]

1905 Scotland Climate Emergency Declaration 14.5.19

  • Parliamentary statement
  • A valuable quote from the statement: “This Scottish Government will be placing climate change at the heart of everything we do. I can confirm that it will be at the core of our next Programme for Government and Spending Review.”

1905 Scottish Govt Infrastructure CommissionInfra Comm website  Call for evidence  Spokes response 

1902 Scottish Government cycle/walk cash – how the £80m was allocated for 2018/19   Table   Government web page

1901 Restricted Roads (20mph Speed Limit) BillCall for EvidenceSpokes response [pdf]

1901 Scotland active travel budget allocation 2018-2019

1809 Transport (Scotland) Bill consultationSpokes response [pdf]

1802 Premises Parking Levy – letter to Transport Minister from FOE Scotland, also signed by Spokes & others.   The concept is also supported in a Transform Scotland report on the Transport Bill and in Decarbonising Transport in Wales, a report by the IWA think tank.

1802 Trunk roads & cycling – see 1706 below

1802 Planning (Scotland) Bill  consultation page  Spokes response [pdf]  Additional response re PDR for garden sheds/containers [pdf]

1801 Garden sheds/containers, permitted development rights  Our efforts to ease the planning restrictions on bike sheds in gardens continue – see our Bike Storage: gardens page.

1711 Building Scotland’s Low Emission Zones  consultation page  Spokes response [pdf]

1710 Scottish Parliament debate: Promotion of Walking and Cycling as Active Travel in Scotland    Spokes briefing paper for MSPs [pdf]  Report of debate

1709 20mph Bill Proposal by Mark Ruskell MSP –  Parliament consultation pageconsultation documentSpokes response

1708 Air Quality in Scotland – Consultation by Scottish Parliament ECCLR Committee  Consultation page  Spokes submission.

1708 Meeting with Head of Transport ScotlandSpokes background document

1708 Places People and Planning – Position Statement – further government planning consultation – we responded only on the garden sheds permissions issue – see our Bike Storage – Gardens page.

1706 Cycling & trunk road projects – issues sparked by Sheriffhall roundabout   Spokes supports petition by Michaela Jackson of Gorebridge Community Trust at Scottish Parliament Petitions Committee.   [1709/1710 Committee receives papers requested from ScotGov, Sustrans, WWF, Scot Env Link – all on this page – and response from Michaela]  [1802 Transport Scotland letter to Committee [pdf].  Michaela response [doc]]  [1804 Petitions Cttee discusses petition again (time 10.51) & decides to await AT Task Force & TRCI reports]

1706 Improving Parking consultation (i.e. pavement parking & double parking).  Consultation page  consultation document  spokes response.

1704 Future of the Planning System in Scotland – ‘Places, People, and Planning’ Consultation page  Consultation document   Spokes response

1703 National Transport Strategy reviewConsultation pageSpokes response [pdf] – NTS 2006 [pdf] – NTS ‘Refresh’ 2016 [link].  Note that the consultation survey refers to the 2006 NTS rather than the 2016 ‘refresh’ and so our response relates mainly to that.   [1706] Report of the review [pdf] [or link] – our comments are reflected in the report.

1703 PoP meeting with Transport Minister Humza Yousaf  Briefing document  Follow-up letter to Minister  Government reply.

1703 % Budget allocations considerations  More councils and political parties are starting to promise a % of the transport budget for cycling and/or active travel.   This is great but our document [pdf] lists points to be wary about.

Active Travel Task Force – set up by Scot Govt to tackle barriers to delivery of ambitious cycling schemes.
1705 Further Spokes evidence for oral evidence session
1702 First call for evidence   Spokes response   Response by Roseburn Cycle Group
1611 Minister announces task force   Composition, aims, timescale of task force

1702 Consultation on Planning Fees – we responded only on the garden sheds issue – see our Bike Storage – Gardens page.

Climate Change Plan, RPP3

1702 Spokes RPP3 response to RECC Committee
1702 Responses by other environmental transport bodies
1701 RECC Committee consultation page
1701 SPICe SB17/07 analysis of draft RPP3
1701 Draft RPP3 report

Scottish Budget 2017/18

g. 1702  Herald letter and associated tweet.
f. 1701 Spokes letter to relevant Committee conveners re preventative spend and levels of AT funding.
e. 1701 Parliament REC Committee report on draft budget.  Quotes Spokes and calls for more active travel cash.  Our tweet.
d. 1612 Spokes news story re the draft budget.   Associated tweetNOTE – as of Feb 2017 this is our 3rd most RT’d tweet ever on any topic.  Subsequent budget tweet.
c. 1612 Spokes pre-budget submission to Parliament RECC CommitteeExpanded version, also with references.
b. 1612 Spokes article about influencing manifestos [Mainly local but useful ideas for other council  areas too].  Related tweet.
a. 1609 Letter to Finance Secretary from Scottish health & transport groups (including Spokes) seeking 10% of the transport budget for active travel.  Government reply.

1612 Review of Active Travel Policy Implementation – report to the Scottish Government by consultants.  Spokes participated in 2 workshops leading to the report.  Link to report.   pdf of report.

1608 Brexit £100m Capital Spending Boost  Our letter to the First Minister making case for cycling investment [pdf]. Blog.  1609 Government reply [pdf]  1611 Reply to Alison Johnstone MSP [pdf].  Later – it is unclear if this cash ever was allocated and, if so, to what.

1608 Government Planning Review  For our efforts to ease the planning restrictions on bike sheds in gardens see our Bike Storage: gardens page (stemming from 1512 below)

1606 Air Passenger Duty  Consultation of Scottish Government plans to halve then scrap APD.  Consultation page.   Spokes response [pdf]  SCCS response [pdf]  2050 Climate Group response [young people concerned about climate change]

CAPS 2016 update

c. 1701 CAPS3 final published version   Spokes website article re CAPS3
b. 1606 Report on stakeholder consultation [pdf] – surprisingly realistic conclusions & recommendations!
a. 1603 Spokes response [pdf] to initial stakeholder consultation

Scottish Budget 2016/17

h. 1602 Budget outcome – no change – website article
g. 1602 Budget letters from MSPs to Spokes members
f. 1602 Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Cycling Group writes to Deputy First Minister & Finance Secretary John Swinney MSP supporting Spokes proposal [(e) below].  Letter [pdf].
e. 1601 Spokes submission to ICI Cttee [pdf] asking to transfer 1% of the trunk roads budget to Active Travel.  Spokes website post.   TweetMinister Keith Brown MSP evidence to ICI Cttee.
d. 1512 Spokes budget commentaries & tweets:  1. Budget transport/cycling & tweet   2. Specific impact on council cycling provision & tweet.
c. 1512 The Draft budget [pdf 1.5MB]  Selected accompanying documents: Infrastructure Investment Plan [link];  Carbon Assessment [link] – note, as usual, this only counts the emissions associated with building a road, not with the use then made of it!
b. 1511 Scottish Parliament ICI Committee pre-budget evidence session – Spokes submission [pdf].  Other submissionsICI Cttee web page for Budget 16/17.
a. 1509 Delay in 16/17 Scottish Budget  – Why the 16/17 budget is delayed, and why we fear that when published it may still lack clarity on cycling cash

1601 Scottish Land Use Strategy  Government website  Spokes response to consultation [pdf]

1512 Trunk Roads Cycling Initiative  Minister agrees to our request to update the 1996 TRCI !  Our letter – 1510 below.  Reply from Minister [pdf]

1512 Independent Planning Review  The government has appointed a panel to review the Scottish Planning System.  Review consultation page.  Spokes has made two responses…  Spokes response on major policy issues [pdf]  Spokes response on specific issue of bike sheds in gardens [pdf].  Sustrans response [pdf]  Transform response [pdf]  Living Streets response [pdf].  Note: for subsequent developments on the bike sheds issue, see our Bike Storage – Gardens page.

1511 Footway Parking and Double Parking Bill (Scotland)Spokes submission [pdf] – includes links to the consultation site & other respondees.

1510 Circular Economy consultationConsultation website  Our support for bike recycling and bottle deposits [see 0810 & 9703(!) below for previous bottle deposit letters – government still thinking!!!]

1510 Trunk Road cycling projects and the Trunk Roads Cycling Initiative [TRCI] Scottish Government response to our 1504 letter [pdf].  Spokes letter to Transport Minister re need for TRCI update [pdf].

1506 Scottish Parliament ICI Committee Final Report [pdf 3.2MB] of the Inquiry into freight transport in Scotland  Spokes submission on cargobikes [pdf 251k].  The report [para 212] recommends the government investigates use of cargobikes for deliveries within towns and cities.  Tweet 11.4.15  Tweet 29.6.15.

1506 Scottish Parliament ICI Committee Inquiry into Access to major urban rail stations  Spokes response to ICI station access Inquiry [pdf 176k]  See also our rail page [1506 entry].

1504 Trunk Roads & standalone cycling projects Letter to Transport Minister [pdf 183k] re Transport Scotland attitude, including Dumfries & Galloway examples 1.D547  2.W276  3.D546

1504 Scottish Government Low Emissions Strategy Consultation Spokes response [pdf 94k] FOE Scotland response [pdf link]

1504 Town Centres Toolkit government advice on town centres development [cycling p76-83] For our submission to the earlier consultation see Town Centres at 1311 & 1401 below [hope we helped!]

1503 Presumed Liability  Research document by Roadshare campaign  Note that the ScotGov effective rejection of PL or Strict Liability is in CAPS2013 (p21-22) – see para 1306 below

1501 Transport Ministers pledge (Keith Brown MSP then Derek Mackay MSP) to make “strongest” case for cycling investment.  Ministerial letter:  page1  page2.

Scottish Budget 2015/16
j. 1502 Budget passed by Parliament – £3.9m extra walk/cycle infra cash added at last minute. 15/16 cycle cash now likely to be similar to 14/15, but several uncertainties
i. 1501 Parliament ‘Stage 1’ budget debate – hints of more cash, nothing certain
h. 1501 Parliament ICI Committee report on budget, wants “substantial additional funding” considered
g. 1501 Parliament Active Travel debateno new cash, though hints
f. 1412 PQ from Claudia Beamish MSP, inspired by our research, gets unsatisfactory response, giving opportunity for further lobbying & keeping budget profile high.
e. 1412 We identify opportunity for more budget cycling cash via Barnet Consequentials. Jim Eadie MSP suggests this in Parliament and secures meeting with John Swinney.
d. 1411 Correspondence with John Swinney continue. His reply confirms [in our view] his budget speech error. We ask for clear answer to this specific point.
c. 1410 Letter from Spokes to John Swinney [pdf 195k] re ‘additional £10m for infrastructure’ in budget speech. Website article re the above [link].
b. 1410 Scottish Parliament ICI Committee Call for Evidence [link]. Spokes submission [pdf 265k]. Full set of submissions by other organisations [link]
a. 1410 The Draft Budget 15/16 [link]. Oct 9 Budget speech by Cabinet Secretary John Swinney MSP to Parliament [link]. Spokes website report [link]. Spokes Bulletin 120 article [pdf 1.8MB].

1404 Local Government Flexibility and Autonomy Inquiry by SP Local Government Cttee Spokes response [pdf 239k] – examples re garden sheds, tramline signage and Traffic Order delays.

1401 Town Centres Action Plan [see 1311 below] Parliament Debate 16.1.14 [pdf 74k]. Reply from Minister to Spokes letter [doc 119k]. Reply from Minister to CPCG letter [pdf 857k]. Notes from 1403 Spokes meeting with Scottish Government officials [pdf 266k].

1401 NPF3 Proposed Framework [see 1307, 1306, 1211 for previous NPF3 stages]. Government draft NPF3 document. Spokes response [pdf 189k]. Transform response [pdf 92k]. Oral evidence to ICI Cttee by Sustrans and others, cols 2498-2505. [1403] ICI Cttee report [1.5MB].

1401 Inquiry into Cycling Safety by UK Parliament Transport Select Committee Spokes submission [pdf 853k]. Inquiry website. All written evidence.

1311 Town Centre Action Plan The Scottish Government has issued a Town Centre Action Plan in response to the National Review of Town Centres. Spokes letter to Planning Minister Derek Mackay [pdf 150k] over very poor treatment of active travel in the Action Plan. At Spokes instigation the Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Cycling Group [pdf 89k] also wrote to the Minister.

Scottish Budget 2014/15 [a-b below]
[includes relevant non-Spokes documents; Spokes docs are marked *]

b. 1310 1208 Scottish Parliament Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee call for evidenceOct 11 Spokes submission* [doc 77k]. See also Sustrans submission [pdf 148k] Transform submission [pdf 97k] Full set of submissions [link].

a. 1309 The Draft Budget 2014-15 [link] Letter from John Swinney to Patrick Harvie MSP [pdf 1.5MB] giving detailed active travel budget breakdown. Breakdown of budget measures assisting climate mitigation [link].

1309 Infrastructure Towards 2020 Spokes discussion paper [pdf 160k]

1307 NPF3 and SPP [see also 1306, 1211, 1301 for previous stages] Spokes responses to the combined NPF3/SPP consultations. Spokes SPP response [pdf 180k]. Spokes NPF3 main response [pdf 148k] and Annex to NPF3 response – letter to Keith Brown MSP [pdf 192k]. See also the news item on our NPF3 national cycling proposal. Sustrans Scotland response [pdf 632k].

1306 National Planning Framework NPF3 [see 1211 below for previous stage]. Following publication of the Main Issues Report and Draft Framework, which includes a National Cycle Network as a candidate National Development, Spokes wrote to Transport Minister Keith Brown [pdf 192k] arguing that this should be based around everyday travel, as in our 1211 submission, not just leisure and tourism.

1306 CAPS Refresh [775k]. See 1302 below for consultation & Spokes submission.

1304 Get Britain Cycling Report of the UK Parliament APPCG Inquiry [pdf 5.8MB] APPCG Summary Report [pdf 3.0MB]. See 1212 below for Spokes’s and other submissions and details of the Inquiry.

1303 UK Budget – Barnett Consequentials money for Scotland, opportunity for one-off cycling investment. Background. Letter to Transport Minister [pdf 78k].

1302 Low Carbon Scotland, RPP2 Spokes response [pdf 111k] to the RPP2 consultation. See also the draft RPP2 and technical appendix and responses from other organisations. Joint letter to Transport Minister [pdf 199k]. Report into draft RPP2 by Parliament ICI Committee [1.1MB].

1302 CAPS Refresh Spokes response [pdf 158k] to CAPS refresh consultation [pdf 2.2MB]. The Scottish Government is to ‘refresh’ its Cycling Action Plan for Scotland, following a Cycling Scotland CAPS progress report [pdf 1.6MB] and the government’s initial response [pdf 1.3MB]. Useful responses to the Refresh consultation from Paths for All [pdf 187k], Living Streets [pdf 310k], Sustrans [pdf 105k].

1301 Scottish Planning Policy [SPP] consultation. Spokes response [doc 57k]

1212 Get Britain Cycling APPCG Inquiry [UK All-Party Parliamentary Cycling Group]. Spokes response [pdf 940k] – concentrates on (a) the Edinburgh experience (b) cycle use, casualties and the image of cycling. Excellent responses also from Cambridge Cycling Campaign [pdf 1MB], Cycling Embassy of Great Britain [pdf 2.9MB], Road Danger Reduction Forum [link].

1211 National Planning Framework NPF3 National Development‘ Spokes proposal [pdf 114k] to the National Planning Framework consultation. Great submission too from Transform Scotland & others [pdf 140k]. We have also completed the NPF3 Main Issues questionnaire [doc 254k].

Scottish Budget 2013/14 [a-d below]
[includes relevant non-Spokes documents; Spokes docs are marked *]

d. 1212 Barnett Consequentials – Letter to Transport Minister* [rtf 6k] Not part of the Scottish budget, but money from the UK autumn budget statement for Scotland capital investment.

c. 1211 Funding and Campaigning* [pdf 166k] Spokes paper for Cycling Scotland Go-Dutch conference. What should be invested? What is invested?

b. 1208 Scottish Parliament Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee call for evidenceSep 22 Spokes submission* [pdf 153k]. Also submissions by Pedal on Parliament [doc 143k].
Sep 26 Spokes letter to ICI* [pdf 110k] following Sep 26 oral evidence session [link to Official Report].

a. 1208 Scottish Parliament Finance Committee call for evidence prior to publication of draft budget – Aug 23 Spokes submission* [pdf 176k]. Also, submissions by Transform Scotland [pdf 161k], Pedal on Parliament [doc 583k], WWF Scotland [pdf 38k], Cycling Scotland [doc 203k], Scottish Parliament Cross-Party Group on Cycling [doc 37k], Stop Climate Chaos Scotland [pdf 439k].

1203 Scottish Govt ‘Cycling Safety Summit’ Meeting called by Tranport Minister Keith Brown MSP following cyclist casualties and call for summit by Alison Johnstone MSP (Spokes member). Spokes briefing paper [pdf 107k], Herald news item [link], CTC Briefing paper [pdf 48k], STV Local report [link], Government news release [doc 34k].

1110 Scottish draft Budget 2012/13 and Spending Review to 2014/5
[includes relevant non-Spokes documents; Spokes docs are marked *]
*Spokes response to draft budget [pdf 184k]
*Spokes budget info flyer/handout [pdf 761k]
Official documents [link] – draft budget, draft carbon assessment, etc
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland response [pdf 188k]
Sustrans response [pdf 431k]
Transform Scotland response [pdf 153k]
Living Streets Scotland [pdf 201k]
Cycling Scotland [pdf 388k]
WWF Scotland [pdf 36k]
Scottish Environment Link [pdf 96k] letter to Minister
Nov 24 Scottish Parliament Climate Debate [pdf 127k] extracts on active travel funding, relating to draft budget and to RPP proposals
*Dec 1 Agenda for meeting with Edinburgh SNP MSPs Marco Biagi & Jim Eadie [doc 22k]
*Dec 4 Briefing paper re expected meeting with Transport Minister [doc 36k]
Dec 9 Parliament ICI Cttee report on draft budget [1.3MB – see Annex I for ICI report; see also Spokes news item Dec 15]
Dec 15 Alex Neil [Cab Sec for Infrastructure] letter to ICI Committee [pdf 2.1MB] and Annex A, breakdown of SAT funding [pdf 395k]
*Dec 20 Updated budget analysis and response to above Alex Neil letter [pdf 118k]
*Jan 18 Updated budget analysis [pdf 157k] after FTF announcement
Opposition parties combine over active travel funds [pdf 116k]
*Feb 1 Briefing for meeting with Transport Minister [pdf 175k]
*Feb 6 Spokes news item re possible budget concessions [link]
Feb 7 Transform Scotland budget debate briefing to all MSPs [pdf 78k]

1109 Inquiry into Preventative Spending [pdf 137k] Spokes response to Scottish Parliament Finance Committee inquiry into whether public spending should be focussed on preventing negative social outcomes.

1103 RPP1 Climate Change Plan  Includes proposed £1320m for active travel infrastructure over 10 years!! [never implemented]

1101 Commission on Future Delivery of Public Services [pdf 192k] Spokes response to the Christie Consultation.

1101 Provisional Scottish budgets to 2016 [rtf 11k] Email to Cabinet Secretary John Swinney MSP on cycle funding issues in forthcoming indicative budgets to 2016. The email references our 2011/12 budget response (1011 below).

1012 Building Standards – Sustainability Labelling [pdf 133k] Spokes response to consultation. Domestic bike storage not taken anything like seriously enough in this consultation.

1011 Scottish Budget 2011/12 – currently in draft, to be voted Feb 2011.
Official documents [link] – draft budget, draft carbon report on proposals and policies,..
Spokes response on cycling issues [pdf 229k] – possible loss of CWSS; need for higher funding. Please contact your MSPs in support!
Transform Scotland response [link] – excellent response on wider transport issues

1004 The Scottish Independent Budget Review aims “to inform public and Parliamentary debate in advance of the next UK Comprehensive Spending Review (which will cover the three years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) about the challenges and choices in a significantly constrained public spending environment.” The Spokes response to the IBR [pdf 123k] seeks reduced trunk road spending and a transfer to active travel.

1003-0911 Scottish Parliament Inquiry into Active Travel by the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee.
0911 Spokes written submission [pdf 264k]
0911 Oral evidence to the Active Travel Inquiry [link to Parliament website] See 24 November session for Spokes oral evidence]. See also 26 January, where oral evidence was given by Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson MSP and by Phillip Darnton of Cycling England. Some contentious statements were made by both, which we followed up as follows…
1001 Email to members of TICC Committee re 26 January session [pdf 78k]
1003 Letter to Local Transport Today [rtf 12k][published 5 March]
1003 Report of the Inquiry into Active Travelan excellent document!!

1001 Letter to MSPs on TICC Committee in advance of 20 Jan budget debate [pdf 122k] Giving feedback from members and urging them to propose transfer of funding to cycling in budget negotiations and Budget debate.

0912 Response to Dr Ian McKee MSP [SNP] [txt 9k] on inadequate cycling investment in the Draft Budget 2010-11 [NB – if this download shows up in long lines, save it as a file, then open that].

0912 Letter to Cabinet Secretary John Swinney MSP re Transport Committee Report on the Draft Budget 2010-11 [pdf 120k] Asking him to implement their recommendation of an immediate investigation into reallocating funds within the transport budget.

0912 Copenhagen Climate Summit – Spokes letter to Scottish Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Richard Lochhead MSP [pdf 143k] Part of our contribution to Ride Planet Earth.

0912 Copenhagen Climate Summit – Spokes letter to UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband MP [pdf 110k] Part of our contribution to Ride Planet Earth.

0911 UK Parliament all-party Light Rail Inquiry – Spokes comments [htm 13k]. Inquiry details are at www.pteg.net/PolicyCentre/LRInquiry.

0911 Letter to Cabinet Secretary John Swinney MSP re Scottish Draft Budget 2010-11 [pdf 107k] also picking up on his comments at SSN Sustainability conference.

0910 Handout at SSN Sustainability national conference 29.10.09 [pdf 136k] Very useful quotes for writing to MSPs about cycle funding in the budget.

0910 Spokes submission on Scottish Draft Budget 2010-11 [pdf 281k] Lots of useful facts and figures here! Please contact your MSPs in support.

0909 Spokes response to CAPS Our response to the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland consultation [also includes our response to last year’s consultation, as an appendix]. [pdf 297k] Spokes response

0906 Funding – letter to John Swinney Meaty letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance (etc) pointing out that investment in cycling is falling, contrasting this with the government’s new 2020 bike use target, and putting forward our proposals to remedy the position. [pdf 150k] Letter    Government reply [pdf]

0906 Funding – letter to Stewart Stevenson Slightly cheeky but very fair letter asking the Transport Minister to justify the Scottish Govt claim that cycling investment is at ‘record’ levels. [pdf 85k] Letter

0902 Climate Change Bill Spokes response to this consultation. We ask for immediate 3% annual targets, and point out that the Bill does nothing to ensure that the government implements the ‘quick wins’ which it could use to help with early emissions reduction. [pdf 57KB] Climate Change Bill Response

Budget – Letter to John Swinney  Reiterating the Spokes budget proposals in the light of the forthcoming Budget Bill and the positive recommendations by the Parliament’s Transport Committee. Also tying this in to our Sept 22 ‘Challenge’ letter. [pdf 117KB] Budget – Letter to John Swinney

0810 Expert’s letter supporting Spokes Budget Submission  As another element in our campaign on the SNP’s 2009/10 budget, this letter was sent to the Transport Committee, signed by top experts in Public Health, Climate Change, and Transportation. [pdf 87KB] Expert’s letter supporting Spokes Budget Submission

0810 Scottish Government Budget 2009/10  Spokes submission on the draft budget. Rationale and evidence for a new £20m cycle projects fund, paid for by a £20m reduction in the trunk roads budget. Please contact your MSPs to support this proposal.[pdf 189KB] Scottish Government Budget 2009/10

0810 Zero Waste Consultation  Our response to the above – calling for a deposit on glass containers, and Scotland-wide recycling of damaged and disused bicycles. [text 4KB] Zero Waste Consultation

0810 Adapting our Ways – Consultation Response  Spokes response to the consultation on adaptation to climate change impacts. Consultation closes 30.10.08. The paper under-represents the seriousness of the challenge, and we also suggest current transport spending patterns don’t take climate change adaptation (or mitigation) seriously. [pdf 131 KB] Adapting our Ways – Consultation Response

01xx Scottish Office Cycle Challenge scheme  Evaluation report [pdf 440K] Spokes won £25K towards a project contacting 200,000 local households with a map offer [p78-80 of report].  More in Bulletin 68 p1 and Bulletin 70 p3.

9703(!) National Waste Strategy  Our 9703 Waste consultn Spokes response277 calls for bottle deposits to reduce glass on paths & roads

9511 Scottish Office Cycling Action Plan 1995.  The only documents we have are…