December 2023
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November Traffic Count – small (but positive!) change

The biannual Spokes traffic count, on November 7, found a continuing (but small) rise in bike traffic, and a continuing (but small) fall in private motor traffic, as compared to November 2022. As a result, bikes between 8-9am rose to 14.8% of all vehicles, from 14.5% in 2022; and to 8.4% from 7.9% at […]

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 […]

#SpokesBB: Bike Breakfast 2023

Our first post-covid Bike Breakfast, on 13 June, attracted its usual big turnout, with lots of opportunity to chat and a greater emphasis on local rather than national stalls. It’s really exciting that, since our last breakfast, there’s been a continued flourishing of new and/or expanding local active travel organisations – stalls included CargoBikeMovement, […]

City Centre traffic count: Bike numbers keep growing

The biannual Spokes city centre traffic count, on May 16, found a further substantial rise in bike traffic as compared to May 2022, whilst motor traffic was fairly static (pun intended!) Bike numbers were up at all our 4 count points and in both time periods, whilst cars and commercial (van, bus etc) were […]

#SpokesMtg, May 24: “A City where you Don’t Need a Car”

Edinburgh City is consulting on a new Active Travel Action Plan (ATAP) and a series of other Mobility Plan ‘delivery documents’ (web links below) all aimed to support Edinburgh NetZero 2030, and a 30% reduction in car-km by 2030. Our public meeting will hear from the Council, followed by an expert critique, and then […]

Postponed: SpokesMtg on new Edinburgh transport policy documents

Our planned Feb 24 meeting has been postponed – new date likely in May. The forthcoming public consultation is promised to contain a lot more detail on specific options than in the policy documents, and so it feels more productive to hold the public meeting once the consultation is underway.

Meanwhile you can see […]

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 […]

City centre traffic count: post-covid bike growth continues

The biannual Spokes traffic count, on November 8, found a further substantial rise in bike traffic, whilst private and commercial motor traffic was fairly static (pun intended!) as compared to both November 2021 and May 2022. As a result, totalled at our 4 count points, northbound and southbound on Lothian Road and Forrest Road, […]

#SpokesMtg report: Cycling & Transport Policy in the new Edinburgh Council

The Climate Crisis and, within transport, the Council’s 30% car-km reduction target – Transport Convener Cllr Scott Arthur told the meeting that these are top issues for the new Council. To meet them, he said, will need big changes in parking management and bus priorities, together with a congestion charge, regional cooperation and faster […]