MINISTER ANNOUNCES FURTHER FUNDING TO PROMOTE CYCLING IN SCOTLAND

It will be used to promote cycling, develop the first Cycle Friendly Campus and encourage more children to take up on-road cycle training through Bikeability Scotland.

The joint Transport Scotland and Cross-portfolio funding is the largest amount ever to be allocated to the grant-funded body.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said:

“I am pleased to allocate further funding to Cycling Scotland to further promote cycling in Scotland over the next two years. This is in addition to the £20m we announced last September towards cycling infrastructure. And I welcome the contributions from the Climate Change and Education portfolios as part of this package. Reducing carbon emissions and teaching our young people to cycle safely are two areas where we need to focus effort on.

“This cross-portfolio funding is the largest amount ever to be allocated to Cycling Scotland and will help to deliver our commitment to the shared vision as reiterated in the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland 2013, that by 2020 10% of all journeys will be by bike.

"The Scottish Government is committed to investing in cycling infrastructure, training and road safety projects through organisations such as Cycling Scotland and Sustrans to make Scotland a more active, healthy and low carbon nation and increase the numbers of people choosing to cycle each day. I hope to see this in action this Saturday when I will be attending the 3^rd Pedal on Parliament event in Edinburgh.”

Ian Aitken, Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland said:

“This funding allocation represents clear support for getting more young people on their bikes more often, supporting the delivery of the shared vision of the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland. Bikeability Scotland helps give young people the skills and confidence they need to make journeys by bike to their school and around their communities. By gaining these skills, children are able to experience the enjoyment and feeling of freedom that cycling brings. With the addition of the Cycle Friendly Campus programme, young people will see a supportive environment for cycling continue beyond primary and secondary school all the way through their time at college and university. These education and training programmes are particularly effective when combined with the other improvements occurring across Scotland, such as investment in improved cycle networks through Sustrans’ Community Links as well as local authorities’ and regional transport partnerships’ investment in improving cycling. All of these programmes combine to help set up a foundation for a culture of cycling, from childhood all the way through to adulthood.

"Cycling Scotland has consistently highlighted the cross-cutting benefits of increased cycling. From healthier, more physically active Scots to cleaner air and less traffic congestion, more people cycling means that the wider population and environment improves. It is great to see this allocation of funding from several different portfolios within the Scottish Government, and this also emphasises that there is a recognition that increased cycling helps deliver on strategic aims across the education, environment and transport sectors.”