Spokes campaigns for cycling “within a sustainable transport context,” not purely cycling for its own sake. We need to live in places which are safe, pleasant and easy to get around, and free from climate or toxic pollution. This means quality public transport and active travel provision, with private motor traffic a last […]
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The Scottish Government’s latest annual Programme for Government policy document (PfG, September 2026) has only one mention of active travel – a graphic which is one of the most misleading we have encountered for a long time Highly misleading graphic from the 2026 PfG Anyone looking at the PfG graphic would come […] A Spokes traffic count in George Street and Princes Street on 24 September found bikes forming over 30% of all vehicles in the morning peak period, and over 20% at lunchtime. Other findings suggest a major boost to bike travel thanks to the Council’s Voi bike hire scheme. […] The Council has published the results of its 2025 consultation on a north-south tramline between Granton and South Edinburgh. A proposed business case (presumably with the next iteration of plans) is to be published this autumn, for councillor decisions at the 10 September Transport and Environment Committee (TEC). However, rather to our […] The Holyrood election on 7 May is critical to active travel and wider transport policies and budgets for the next 5 years. Is there a local project being planned that you’re looking forward to? – in Edinburgh, say Meadows to George Street, or Portobello to Musselburgh? When and if such projects will happen […] Our 2026 printed Bulletin – all 10,000 copies – is here! With most communication now electronic, there’s still great value in an occasional printed Bulletin which can be picked up in bike shops, libraries, etc. The novelty of a print Bulletin also adds to its impact, for example on politicians – all Edinburgh […] Under recent legislation, local communities (either geographic or based on a common local interest) can produce a ‘Local Place Plan‘ (LPP) which the Council must then take into account in preparing its development plan for the whole local authority. Many communities in the Lothians have already produced LPPs, and several in Edinburgh are […] Spokes and Cycling UK are holding a joint election hustings, on Monday 16 March, for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, to hear from Holyrood candidates on cycling and related policies. Rather than the usual hustings approach, which can be rather boring, our meeting will comprise several sections, with speakers undertaking Initiation, Interrogation, […] Following the Council decision of 12 February 2026 on how to use revenue from the Visitor Levy, there is considerable uncertainty around projects to improve Princes Street and George Street, in terms of funding, timescales and project scope. Spokes has therefore written to Transport and Environment convener Cllr Stephen Jenkinson suggesting various […] The ‘Level 4 spreadsheet’ accompanying the Scottish Government’s draft budget shows Support for Active and Sustainable Travel rising by an incredible 66.3%, from £135.8m in 25/26 to £226m in 26/27. This has been widely commended. However, when the smoke and mirrors are removed, it seems likely that total funding for active travel […] |
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