Scotland, November 18, 2010: Yesterday’s Scottish budget announcement looks set to hinder the great progress made in recent years to increase levels of physical activity in Scotland as an increase to sustainable transport is directed to low carbon vehicles rather than investing in walking and cycling.
Despite the positive news that Transport Scotland’s ‘Sustainable and Active Travel’ fund will increase by £4 million, three quarters of that money appears destined to electric cars and low carbon vehicles – a move that rings alarm bells for Sustrans Scotland, the charity helping people make more everyday journeys on foot, by bike and public transport.
John Lauder, Director of Sustrans Scotland says, “The £4m increase to sustainable transport is bad news disguised as good news. Investment in walking and cycling is proving value for money and cost effective. Investment in electric cars will not make the same return. People sitting in a car, however it is powered, for short journeys are not improving their health or the quality of life of neighbourhoods. Increased funding for the Transport Division of Transport Scotland , who deliver on sustainable transport, is welcome but taking the emphasis away from walking and cycling is not and totally undermines the Government’s delivery of the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS). Along with the reduction in capital for local authorities, this could set Scotland back years in both the delivery of CAPS and the good progress that has been made in recent years to increase active travel”
In addition, there is concern that COSLA may allow the scrapping of the £9million Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets Fund (CWSS) after CWSS failed to be mentioned in the draft budget announcement. It appears likely that COSLA will agree to make reductions in spending at a meeting tomorrow and a potential casualty will be the CWSS ring-fenced budget.
John continues, “Scrapping CWSS destroys the ability of local authorities to match fund the grant we manage on behalf of Government. This year, for a grant of £5M we were able to 50% match fund, thereby levering another £5M from our local authority partners and doubling the spend on healthy, sustainable travel. Removing CWSS from the budget lines of local authorities therefore removes a pot of money that transport departments could access to improve conditions for walking and cycling in local areas.”
Under the current administration, Sustrans Scotland has received funding from the Scottish Government of around £5M a year, with an extra sum this year to boost the launch of CAPS. The funding has meant the development, maintenance and promotion of the National Cycle Network, increasing cycling amongst schoolchildren and working with communities. Sustrans Scotland recently published results showing that over the past two years, the Network is surpassing expectations and they have exceeded their performance targets. Usage has gone up nearly a third since 2007 with a third of users being new or coming back to it as a way to get around everyday. Commuting on the Network has also gone up by half. Investment in it is key part of the transport infrastructure of Scotland .
Sustrans Scotland recently launched its manifesto demanding a policy commitment in statute to maintain and develop the National Cycle Network as well as the delivery of CAPS (Cycling Action Plan for Scotland ). Latest News from Sustrans Scotland and full reports and manifesto can be found at:- http://www.sustrans.org.uk/sustrans-near-you/scotland/scotland-news
