Developing an Active Nation
We're committed to our active travel vision of enabling walking, wheeling and cycling to be the most popular mode of travel for short, everyday journeys. We want to make Scotland's towns and cities friendlier, safer and more accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
Active Travel is fundamental to the development of a sustainable travel network and a key priority for the Scottish Government – directly supporting our commitment to reducing car kilometres travelled by 20% by 2030.
Investing in Active Travel
We work very closely with our partners and Local Authorities to deliver the Active Travel vision, underpinned by the Active Travel Framework.
Funding for active travel in Scotland is now at record levels. The Scottish Government has committed to spend at least £320 million, or 10% of the total transport budget, on active travel by 2024‑25 (up from £39 million in 2017/18).
We fund projects throughout Scotland designed to improve our public spaces, such as creating segregated cycling lanes.
We also support education, access and behaviour change projects, making walking, wheeling and cycling the easy choice for everyday short journeys. These could be pilot projects offering free bikes to children who cannot afford them, bike storage schemes, shared hire schemes, or bike riding and maintenance training for communities.
Given the breadth of funding available to individuals and local authorities – partners have worked together to bring all the information on funding and schemes together in one location – www.sustainabletravel.scot
You can read more about walking, wheeling and cycling investment in our funding stories:
2023 Active Travel News
- Scottish Government unveils legacy fund ahead of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships | ScotRail
- Scottish Government extends funding for Scottish Cycling’s Rock Up & Ride programme
- New £1m Cycle Share Fund to open ahead of the UCI Cycling World Championships
- Latest milestone for Glasgow’s South City Way
- £20 million to get Scotland walking, wheeling and cycling
- £7 million to get Scots moving
- New vision for increasing everyday cycling across Scotland
- £3.6m boost for active travel in Glasgow
- 185 projects funded to create a cycling friendly Scotland
- Ian Findlay Path Fund makes first awards to support cleaner and greener communities
2022 Active Travel News
- Ambassador for Active Travel
- £2 million allocated to make Scotland cycling friendly
- Funding boost for walking, wheeling and cycling
- Over £825,000 for 36 new e-bike projects across Scotland
- £429,000 investment for Monkland Canal towpath upgrade - Scottish Canals
- First foot forward on Stockingfield Bridge
- Construction begins on £19.4m Edinburgh City Centre West to East active travel path
2021 Active Travel News
- Keeping the wheels in motion beyond COP26
- £10m Bowline project completed
- Cycling by Design
- 10% of total transport budget for Active Travel by 2024-25
- Connecting Woodside cycle route
- Free bike pilots announced
- Over £1.2 million for cycling projects
- Further £1.7 million to make cycling easier
- Over £633,000 awarded to e-bike projects
2020 Active Travel News
- Over £22 million allocated for three landmark active travel projects
- Over £5 million in grants help get Scotland moving
- £9.46 million for low carbon and active travel
- Over £38 million allocated for pop-up active travel infrastructure
- Cycle Repair Scheme launched to keep Scotland pedalling
- Success for £30 million pop-up infrastructure initiative
- E-bikes to help charge Scotland’s green recovery
- £1.7 million in Cycling Friendly funding available in 2020
- Free bike share in Scottish cities as lockdown eases
- Third round of sustainable travel fund now open
- Guidance and next steps for passengers and transport sector - with an additional £20 million for Spaces for People
- £10 million to support pop-up active travel infrastructure
- Work begins on new £8m Active Travel project in Glasgow
2019 Active Travel News
- Milestone for sustainable travel fund as it awards over 100 projects
- E-bike revolution continues across Scotland
- Further £1.8 million for walking and cycling facilities across Scotland
- £60 million Active Travel projects announced
- £51 million for active travel infrastructure in 2019
- New round of sustainable travel funding now open
- Wheels in motion for further e-bike support
- New fund to support active travel through social housing providers
- Further grants to continue e-bike revolution
- 45 projects share £1m in grants to support sustainable travel
2018 Active Travel news
- Record Active Travel funding maintained
- £330k to support community cycling initiatives
- First awards from £2m sustainable travel fund
- Grants to start e-bike revolution
- New funding for active travel and low carbon hubs
- Cycle routes in the frame for nearly £7m
- Further investment in cycle training for early years
- £1.3m for electric bike revolution in Scotland
- Cycling Scotland awards over £600,000 to employers
- £36m to be made available through Community Links fund
Working with partners
We work closely with Paths for All, Living Streets Scotland, Sustrans Scotland, Cycling Scotland, Energy Saving Trust and Cycling UK in Scotland to deliver Scottish Government funding through innovative projects – all to make walking, wheeling and cycling easier for everyday journeys.
We also support many of their campaigns and events to promote the benefits of sustainable transport. During COP26, Minister for Active Travel Patrick Harvie joined partners as part of a discussion on the importance sustainable travel in tackling climate change, whilst improving health and wellbeing. Watch Mr Harvie’s contribution below (11:30).
Ambassador for Active Travel
Former professional mountain bike rider and co-founder of the Adventure Syndicate, Lee Craigie, is the Ambassador for Active Travel for Scotland.
Her objective is to provide a strong, trusted, and impartial voice to take a lead on broadening and deepening the public conversation on active travel. While an increase in active travel will positively impact our health, wealth and climate, of these three benefits, she will focus her attention on how our physical and emotional health stands to gain from embracing active travel measures.