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• For a set of all available back copies, please send £1 (we have copies left of roughly 50 issues).
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• Several useful council transport documents are now available at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/traffic, including details of the New Transport Initiative under which the council hopes to introduce congestion charging to fund massive investment in sustainable transport.
• The CERT rapid-bus scheme, City Centre to the Gyle, incorporating a high-quality cycleroute, has collapsed. The Council has now applied to the Scottish Executive to fund a simpler scheme WEBS, not including the bike route. Whether this is pure forgetfulness, or to save costs, we are unclear - but it is a serious blow to the Council reputation on integrated transport, to their bike-use targets, and to Gyle car congestion. The Council says it still hopes to build cycle facilities - but this will take money from other cycle budgets. If you work in Gyle/Edinburgh Park, please write about this mess up.
• Following extended Spokes lobbying, the Council is looking at Telford Drive-Drylaw Drive footbridge on the N.Edinburgh path, from which kids harass cyclists, at times seriously. Options include opening out the area (our preference) or installing high fences on the bridge. There will also be a new path across the derelict ground leading to Telford Drive shop and the Western General Hospital. Send comments now to: Steven Saunders, Cycle Projects, City Development, 1 Cockburn St, EH1 1ZL.
• Waterfront Edinburgh, supported by the council, has launched exciting plans to link Princes Street, Leith and Granton by a tram circle [www.waterfront-ed.com]. There is a prospect of substantial government help, perhaps from the Integrated Transport Fund, to create a climate in which road-user charging is widely accepted. At last [Spokes 79] the tram 'glossy' promises to retain North Edinburgh cycle network - but disappointingly the glossy just mentions it in passing rather than featuring it as a significant element of a fully integrated transport project. The developers should also realise that properly integrated projects are more likely to attract government funds than single-mode schemes [Spokes 77]. Continued lobbying is clearly absolutely essential to ensure that cycling is fully integrated into the tram project - including detailed attention to bike carriage and on-road tram/bike dangers [Spokes 78].
• Spokes comments have achieved big success in plans for several new/replacement schools, including at Pilton and Moredun. Conditions include bike routes, parking, and Green Transport Plans "to reduce travel ... by private car", and to attain agreed mode share targets.
• The City Car Club [Spokes 79] has been re-launched by Smart Moves, who run several Clubs in other cities and seem more committed to the concept than was Budget Rental. Details: www.smartmoves.co.uk 02476.236292  

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CAR-FREE DAY

• East Lothian Spokes members are meeting council cycle and access officers at 7pm on 14 November in Haddington, to discuss cycle infrastructure/promotion. All local members welcome. Mark James 01368 864717
• Spokes has long fought for a round-Forth bike route [eg Spokes 70]. The idea is now being promoted by the Forth Estuary Forum, together with Sustrans and Paths for All. BP is being lobbied to fund a feasibility study - contact Sustrans [624.7660] if you have BP links.
• The Glasgow-Edinburgh canal Millennium Link is almost complete. The Edinburgh-Falkirk Union Canal has a 1.8m path except under some bridges, whilst the Falkirk-Glasgow Forth & Clyde path is wider. Opening the all-new Wester Hailes section, Transport Minister Sarah Boyack said, "I am particularly interested in improved towpaths, which benefit cyclists and walkers" [SE 24.8.01]. Phone British Waterways [0141.332.6936] for your free cycling permit and info pack.
• The Capital Rail Action Group is applying for £255m Scottish Executive funding for East Scotland - what the S.E. is to spend on Glasgow's 5-mile M74 extension! This sum would allow, by 2006, rail services from Edinburgh to the Airport, Penicuik & Galashiels, plus re-opened suburban line and Edinburgh-Livingston-Shotts-Glasgow express upgrade. Details: 07720.446310 or http://freespace.virgin.net/crag.edinburgh/capitalrail.
• Meanwhile Transform Scotland [0131.467.7714] has criticised 'predict and provide' methods being used by the S.E. and consultants MVA in the 'Central Scotland Transport Corridor Study'. This will result in road-based recommendations without proper evaluation of traffic stabilisation, shifts to other modes, sustainable economic development, and short-term measures.

It is well known that constant child car-ferrying, instead of walking and cycling, is bad for short- and long-term health. UK Transport Minister David Jamieson recently put it very bluntly: "reliance on the car ... leads to ... a decline in our children's health and fitness" [DTLR 1.10.01].
But child car-dependence may affect more than physical health. We have already reported [Spokes 70] Glasgow Fit for Life research suggesting that children driven to school may do less well in class than those who cycle or walk. A new government survey makes the same point - not only does child health benefit from walking, but also their "education and general awareness" [DTLR 1.10.01].
GOVERNMENT AND COUNCIL POLICIES
The government must do more to foster walking and cycling for everyday travel. But if young people are to see this as a valid lifetime activity, not just something imposed by adults on children, they need to understand why and how it fits into transport, health, environment and lifestyles.
School travel must no longer be seen solely as a 'road safety' issue, but part of the whole educational experience. Several councils more advanced in Safe Routes to School, e.g. West Lothian, already recognise this, with extensive SRS integration in the curriculum, and secondment of Education staff to SRS teams. Advice tailored to English and Scottish curricula is also available from Sustrans. Please press your local school and council to take this integrated approach - not leaving school travel solely in the hands of road-safety specialists.  

MSPs are to be lobbied to make cycle training available across Scotland - particularly for children in deprived areas, who are 4 times more likely to be killed on the roads than those in privileged areas [SE 4.9.01]; and for all adults, since adult bike training is virtually non-existent. If you or an organisation you belong to can help support this move, contact cathyscott@scottishcycling.co.uk.
The Scottish Executive has allocated £810K over 6 years for child pedestrian training [SE 4.9.01]; there is a similar English £10m 5-year scheme [DTLR 13.9.01]. An integrated approach would be preferable, covering school walking and cycling. If not, separate cycle training funds are needed.

A recent letter to Spokes... "Hi - I have just bought a new bike and desperately need practice on the road. I haven't been on a bike since I was a teenager years ago and I feel very unsafe. Are there any adult lessons to give me skills & confidence on the road?"

This summer West Lothian held a successful pilot adult training scheme, and adult schemes are now underway in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Spokes members get details in their mailing - or contact cathyscott@scottishcycling.co.uk.

If any of these bug you, here is where to report them...

Potholes, glass on cycleroutes, broken lights, etc anywhere in Lothian [including Edinburgh], or Falkirk District: [Use number on nearest lamp-post to report exact location]. Freephone 0800.232323; clarence@edin-city-dev.demon.co.uk There is also a Clarence report-form on the Spokes web site.

Bad glass/dumping [Ed only]: Rapid Response 0808.100.3366.

Smoky commercial vehicles: 01506.445216.

Bad taxi-driving: TheInspector, 33 MurrayburnRd EH14 2TF

Drink-driving, speeding, driving whilst disqualified, and other road crime: Freephone Crimestoppers 0800.555.111.

Yes, it feels an age since the general election! - but this is our first leaflet since. With the election won convincingly by Labour, it is worth remembering and using suitable quotes from the Labour manifesto. Curiously, their UK manifesto had nothing on cycle-use targets, whereas the separate Scottish Labour manifesto (for the UK election) stated "We will continue our efforts to double cycle use between 1996 and 2002 and to double it again by 2012". The environment section re-states Labour's commitment to cut CO₂ emissions 20% by 2010, and points out that the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution seeks 60% cuts by 2050. Sadly, it also promises increased trunk road spending - though Labour's Scottish Parliament manifesto said nothing about building new roads! And while the UK Labour manifesto at least promises "all new roads must be strictly appraised for maximum benefit and minimum environment damage", the Scottish document just promises road building, with no mention of appraisal!
Friends of the Earth Scotland assessed manifestos for environment-friendliness, awarding Greens and LibDem 9 out of 10, Labour and SSP 6, SNP 3, Con 1. [H 31.5.01].

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Further useful quotes come from Ross Finnie, now controversially Minister for Environment as well as Rural Development [Spokes 79]. He has boldly promised "robust measures to tackle climate change" and to "put Scotland at the heart of the world sustainable development movement" [SE 25.4.01]. He questioned "the way we conduct our lives - using too much energy, using excessive resources, and travelling unsustainably". And despite Executive refusal to set traffic reduction targets he states "Our transport policies aim to reduce car use" [SE 28.9.01]. A free Spokes map if you get him to justify these excellent promises!

The government has, in effect, admitted that last year's fuel tax protest was partly due to its own failure to put over the environmental arguments forcibly. In March the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee called the government fuel tax cuts "politically motivated" and said no assessment had been made of likely effects on car use or the environment [LTT 8.3.01]. The government now replies "all advocates of environmental policies need to make their case more forcefully" [LTT 8.8.01] - a clear admission of their own failure, since other advocates did!
And new research shows that, despite media and AA-hype, Britons pay around the European average for motor-related taxation - much less than Netherlands, for example [LTT 12.7.01]. UK car ownership taxes are particularly low, but with higher taxes on car use.
Ask your MP/MSP if the UK/Scottish governments are now going to educate the public "forcefully" in the impact on climate change of ever-increasing motor use.

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