February 2025
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Scot Budget 25/26: update

The budget 25/26 is now expected to pass with no changes to active travel (AT) funding from December’s draft version. At no more than 4.6% of total transport spending it will be well below the 5.6% in the original 24/25 budget and far below the 10% previously promised – although probably up on 24/25 […]

2024–>2025 : What for Active Travel ?

Edinburgh 2024 saw big highlights for cycling, as major long-term projects came to fruition, and data showed bike use rising alongside new infrastructure. But 2025 may be a disappointing contrast, with no completions on a similar scale, and a general slow-down following the Scottish Government’s 2024 active-travel funding procrastination and eventual cuts.

Meanwhile, both […]

ScotGov draft budget 25/26: active travel cuts disguised

Despite larger than expected financial support from the UK government, the 25/26 Scottish draft budget cuts funding for rail, for bus investment and for active travel (AT). Presentation of the figures hides the extent of the AT cuts, which we estimate to be a £40m+ drop from 5.6% of the transport budget to 4.6% […]

Future Streets: Edinburgh is “on the way”

Speaking at our public meeting on Edinburgh’s new transport policies, London-based environment and cycling journalist Laura Laker said that Edinburgh now appeared to be on the way to a less car-dominated city and a more coherent approach to transport policy, with public transport, walking and cycling at its heart. On cycling in particular, on […]

What’s in store for 24? – it’s mainly wait and see!

What can we expect locally for bike use and wider sustainable transport? What will Spokes – and you! – need to support, oppose, provide, improve or highlight in order to speed up the move towards more sustainable and healthy places to live and get about? This article outlines a few of the topics which […]

ScotGov Budget 24/25: not what transport needs

Despite a rise in active travel funding in the draft budget, the overall transport picture was not what is needed in a climate emergency – and already transport is Scotland’s worst performing sector in terms of climate emissions. Indeed, the increase in trunk road cash (£210m) almost equals the total of active travel investment […]

Programme for Government 23/24 – little change

The Scottish Government’s 23/24 PfG is very much ‘steady as she goes,’ although given the growing climate crisis more was hoped for. SCCS pointed to “few, if any, new measures to deliver emissions’ reductions .. in the context of Scotland missing annual targets in eight of the past twelve years.” Specifically on cycling, Cycling […]

Edinburgh Cycling: what will we see in ’23?

What can we expect locally for bike use and wider sustainable transport under Edinburgh’s new minority council? What will Spokes – and you! – need to support, to oppose, to provide, to improve or to highlight in order to encourage and speed up the move towards more sustainable and healthy places to live and […]

Scottish Budget 23/24 & Active Travel

The Scottish Budget 23/24 brings a rise of nearly £40m for active travel [AT], up from 4.3% to 5.3% of the total transport budget.

At first sight this is very encouraging, especially at a time of austerity. However in the context of the SNP/Green ‘Bute House’ agreement, and of the UK Climate Change Committee’s […]

Edinburgh Council 2022 & Active Travel

Rather unexpectedly, given the results of the election on 5 May, the City is now run by a minority Labour administration, replacing the previous SNP/Labour coalition. What does this mean for active travel? (AT)

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