This is a circular to all emailable Spokes members. [If you have recently sent us a change of email address, your change may not yet be in our database, so this message may go to your old address or possibly to both]. We hope you'll have the time to read this circular carefully and take action on those points that concern or interest you. If using email addresses shown below, replace AT by @. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. MOST IMPORTANT - SCOTTISH BUDGET 2012/13 The draft Scottish Budget for 2012/13 (and Spending Review giving outline proposals up to 2014/15) has been announced in Parliament. For cycling (and walking) it is considerably *worse* than we had feared - although if you are wanting more trunk roads money you can jump for joy! The new SNP majority government is very clearly breaking its manifesto promise at this year's Scottish Parliament elections to “increase the proportion of transport spending on … active and sustainable travel.” [The promise is in the manifesto chapter called 'climate change and environment']. This will seriously affect cycle projects in every council in Scotland, and will certainly slow implementation of Edinburgh's exciting Active Travel Action Plan after the current year, 2011/12. We estimate that government active travel investment will fall to at most £14m, which is 0.74% of total transport spending, i.e. roughly £7 in every £1000. Nor can the government plead shortage of money - total transport spending rises in the budget, thanks to a near-£100m increase for trunk roads and motorways. In fact the *increase* of £97m in trunk road spending is 6 or 7 times the size of the likely *total* active travel investment. *** The draft budget is now being consulted on. It is vital for concerned members of the public to write to their MSPs of all parties - but especially SNP now that SNP has an overall majority in Parliament. Explain briefly why this matters to *you* and ask your MSPs to raise it with the Finance Secretary (John Swinney MSP) and to report back to you. Find your MSPs at www.writetothem.com. *** We know from previous years that it is virtually impossible to persuade the government by rational argument alone, so please do also remind your MSPs of the SNP manifesto promise above. SNP MSPs need to be embarrassed, and MSPs of other parties can quote the promise at them. *** This is not something to leave to Spokes centrally alone; it needs help from all concerned individuals. And MSPs will pay much more attention to submissions like the one from Spokes if they are also hearing from a lot of their constituents, i.e. you!! If you'd like more detail, see the October 4 news item at www.spokes.org.uk, which includes the Spokes submission to the relevant Scottish Parliament Committees. There's also a bit more info at the end of this email. There was also an article in Scotland on Sunday 9th October... http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/edinburgh-east-fife/fears_cuts_will_put_brakes_on_cycling_boom_1_1900951 2. SPOKES ANNUAL COMPETITION We had a fascinating set of entries for 'My Cycling Solution' - to explain a problem with your everyday bike use, and how to solve it. A news item will soon be on our website, but if interested you can see the prizewinners and individual entries at... http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/documents/odds-and-ends-may-be-exciting/competitions/2011-comp-my-cycling-solution-all-entries/ 3. MAILOUT AND BULLETIN 111 Our autumn mailout and bulletin publication date are Sat 29 October. Usual delivery/stuffing volunteers will be notified soon, but anyone who'd like to volunteer for the first time please email davedufeuATgmail.com. You will get a *large* pile of addressed & filled envelopes (probably 40-50 or so) to deliver to houses and/or to sub-area volunteers in some part of the city (please don't email if you can only take a small pile, as we don't have any!!) 4. EGIP RAIL CONSULTATION Consultation is underway on this massive project to electrify the mainline Edinburgh-Glasgow railway, together with many other improvements. However we are very concerned over bike carriage. This currently is excellent with 4-8 official bike spaces every 15 minutes, allowing use of your bike to get from home to station and to your meeting at the other end of the journey. The project of course means new electric trains. EGIP promoter Network Rail says they 'expect' bike space not to fall. But government agency Transport Scotland decides that, and the N. Berwick class 380 electrics they specified, which may be used here, set a worrying precedent, with just one folding-seat bike area in the whole 4-coach train [+ one bike per vestibule if not busy and you stay with it]. More info at spokes.org.uk – documents – public transport - rail. *** If future Edinburgh-Glasgow bike space concerns you please comment at www.networkrail.co.uk/egip AND also ask your MSPs to raise it with Transport Scotland and report back to you. 5. FOR YOUR DIARY - Spokes autumn public meeting Thurs 17 November A fascinating meeting with speakers from Edinburgh Council and from Oxford, comparing Edinburgh's Cycling Action Plan with Oxford's 'Dual Cycle Network' [around 16% of trips to work are by bike in Oxford, compared to 4%-5% in Edinburgh]. In particular - what can Edinburgh learn from Oxford?? Also your chance to ask Edinburgh Council Transport Convener Cllr Gordon Mackenzie any questions about progress on the Active Travel Action Plan. 6. CYCLE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GRANTS Awards of up to £10k are available for community-based projects to encourage more cycle use. Spokes would consider publicising/supporting any initiatives by local members who have a great idea and are willing to put the time into bringing it to fruition. Our recent domestic storage and commuting with kids projects [www.spokes.org.uk - documents - advice] were run in this kind of way, sparked off by an enthusiastic member willing to input the necessary time and effort! More info... www.cyclingscotland.org/our-projects then see 'Cycle Friendly'. 7. MARKET STREET An uphill Market St cycle lane was planned for this year: it would be hugely valuable on this steep hill. But now the council may reinstate car spaces, if parking is banned in Waverley Station (for security reasons). We argue there are other potential car spaces; but the danger/deterrence to cyclists of being overtaken while climbing slowly past parked cars is anyway too big. Please contact your councillors if this concerns you. Find them at www.writetothem.com. 8. ST MARTINS The church where spokes is based is raising funds for a major refurbishment into better community-organisations facilities. You can help by voting for one of their funding applications at... www.rbs.co.uk/communityforce ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUDGET 2012/13 - FURTHER INFO IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL... [for more complete info, see the Spokes budget submission - Oct 4 news item at www.spokes.org.uk]. There are two main sources of cycling investment. First the Sustainable and Active Travel budget line (SAT) and second the Cycling Walking Safer Streets fund (CWSS). In 2011/12 SAT was £25.1m, of which £5.4m went to Sustrans for their work with councils throughout Scotland (this was down from £7.5m in 10/11), and £2.3m to Cycling Scotland, with most of the rest going to low carbon vehicles, park and ride schemes, eco-drive, etc. The 2012/13 draft budget cuts that £25.1m to just £16m, and also adds on some new public transport responsibilities. So Sustrans and Cycling Scotland will be lucky if they are only cut proportionately, e.g. just £3.4m at best for Sustrans work, less than half their 10/11 investment. CWSS is allocated to all councils, on a population basis. Our survey from previous years shows that without CWSS some councils would invest zero in cycling; whilst for enthusiastic councils like Edinburgh it is the bedrock of their cycling investment - indeed many use it to raise matching funds from other sources, so multiplying its value. The budget says the future of CWSS is for discussion with COSLA (the local authorities coordinating body) and a decision will not be announced until December (in the 'Local Government settlement'). It is quite possible that CWSS will be scrapped entirely (many in COSLA and in the government would like that, as they dislike ring-fenced funds) - that would be utterly devastating for council cycle projects throughout Scotland. If not scrapped, CWSS could well be cut in line with the severe cuts in council overall capital, i.e. from £7.5m in 11/12 (and £9m in 10/11) down to around £6m in 12/13. *** Since the future of CWSS is for discussion between the government and COSLA, and both have mixed views about it, it is worth writing not only to your MSPs, but also to your councillors. Ask them for the council transport convener to speak to COSLA in support of keeping the CWSS fund. Find your councillors (and MSPs) at www.writetothem.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dave du Feu Spokes 11.10.11