Additions and Updates to this site www.spokes.org.uk Frames version
City of Edinburgh Council's Transport Convener Mark Lazarowicz has put the following motion forward for the 9th of August Transportation committee:-
Sarah Boyack Scottish Minister for Transport and the Environment launched a consultation document Tackling Congestion today (13.7.99). She said:
"This Government has a vision of a sustainable, effective and integrated transport system appropriate to the needs of Scotland's people.
"This vision is not anti car - it is about giving people a choice. The car has extended personal freedom for many in ways unimagined 50 years ago. However, we have focused on the car as our key transport mode, paying perhaps insufficient attention to the alternatives - walking, cycling, and public transport. And we should not forget that around a third of all households don't own a car. "
Full details in Press Release.
This is a consultation document which should lead to Scottish legislation next year. It is good that Sarah Boyack is keen to highlight the fact successive Governments have paid " insufficient attention to the alternatives". However it is clear that there will be considerable to opposition to some of the aims of policies seen as a vocal minority to be seen as 'attacks on the motorist'.
The latest manifestation is the plan by Conservative Transport Minister John Redwood to tax traffic calming! SPOKES will be commenting on Tackling Congestion (details on this site when written), but obviously any group or individual will be able to do so - to indicate that there is widespread support for measures to encourage walking, cycling, Safe Routes to School and better Public Transport.
Send your views to
Sarah Boyack, Minister for Transport and the Environment, Scottish Executive, Victoria Quay, Leith, EH6 6QQ
There is also a lively debate in the letters page of the Herald involving SPOKES stalwart Dave du Feu and others which you may like to contribute to. The Sunday Herald 's Editor Andrew Jaspan has revived the Slow Down Scotland campaign with a series of articles by Geraldine Murray. The Scotsman seems keener on advocating raising motorway speed limits (editorial 13.7.99) than looking at the wider picture of how and why people travel.
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Just when you've waited ages for a 'Best Practice' guide to Safe Routes to School two come along at once! (Details) The Department of Transport and the Regions (DETR) working with the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Health have produced School Travel Strategies and Plans This is aimed mostly at local authorities. (For a FREE copy contact detr@twoten.press.net ). In addition there is a sister version mostly for schools and parents produced by Transport 2000 and Sustrans. Safer Journey to School (FREE from dfee@prologistics.co.uk) (Don't forget to add your name and address) | |
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The new SPOKES map for Edinburgh is now in all good bike or book shops. This is the first time that SPOKES has produced a map in full colour and is packed with even more places to cycle and useful information. |
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SNP MSP Kenny MacAskill is not only the party's Transport and Environment Spokesman he is also a parent at Sciennes Primary School which is one of the most active "Safe Routes" schools in Edinburgh. So it's perhaps not surprising that one of the first questions he asked in the Scottish Parliament was about Cycle (proficiency) Training. Lothian Safe Routes (an offshoot of SPOKES) is campaigning for CT to be delivered by paid trainers rather than volunteers.
S1W-154 Mr Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives or legislative proposals it intends to bring forward to support or promote cycling proficiency in schools, and whether it intends to provide additional resources to do so either directly to schools or through local authorities.
(S1W-154)
Answer - end of July
Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Road Safety Campaign, funded by the Government, has recently reviewed the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme. In the light of this review, training materials are being revised. A new training pack will be issued early next year to all Road Safety Units in Scotland and its use promoted in schools throughout the country. As local authorities already have wide powers and duties in respect of road safety, it is not considered that additional legislation is necessary in order to support or promote cycling proficiency in schools. Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, resources allocated for road safety education and publicity were increased by £1 million over the 3 years beginning 1999-2000.
One of the proposed new bills will be on transport with powers for local councils to introduce road pricing. The membership of the Transport and Environment committee has also been announced. Details. Winding up the debate Jim Wallace unexpectedly announced that councils will also be able to introduce 20mph zones without requiring Scottish Office permission. City of Edinburgh Council has already announced its intention to put 20mph limits outside most primary schools.
John Reid's elevation to Scottish Secretary at Westminister means that the new UK Transport Minister is Helen Liddell MP.
Meanwhile in Scotland - Transport and the Environment will be handled by Edinburgh Central MSP Sarah Boyack. She is a cyclist, town planner and recently attended the Lothian Safe Routes conference. She is a board member of the Scottish Centre for Public Policy and Scottish co-ordinator of SERA, Labour's environment campaign. So optimism is in order!
Extract from professional biography -
Areas of special interest: The Development Planning system in Scotland, particularly structure and regional planning. Environment policies and sustainable development. Women and Planning issues. (In full)
Please e-mail us with your comments and suggestions.
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