More than £23 million for active and sustainable travel projects across Scotland
Scotland’s seven Regional Transport Partnerships will share £23.45 million of Scottish Government funding for programmes which help make walking, wheeling and cycling the safe and easy choice for short everyday journeys.
The funding will be used to support projects that make active travel and sustainable travel easier across four key themes: Active Schools; Active Workplaces; Accessibility and Inclusion; and Capacity and Capability. It will support the development of active travel strategies and plans, the installation of supporting infrastructure and the creation of safe school routes to tackle congestion, reduce air pollution and make local communities and roads safer.
For 2025-26, the second year of the programme is expanding to include sustainable travel projects, such as Demand Responsive Transport buses, access to shared cycle and car schemes, and sustainable travel hubs which make it easier to move quickly between different types of greener transport.
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport made the announcement during a visit to Armadale Active Travel Hub in Armadale, West Lothian, where local pupils were undertaking a walking bus journey to school.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said:
“It is really important that we support people and communities to make different choices about how they get around in their local areas, and making it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle is a key part of that.
“So I am pleased to announce that over £23 million has now been allocated to support projects which will help to achieve this. It forms part of over £188 million that we are allocating for active and sustainable travel in 2025-26.
“It is a pleasure to see children walking to school and projects like the Walking Bus here in Armadale is playing an important role in encouraging children to walk to school. It is providing them with the training to develop the skills and confidence they need to be able to eventually undertake the journey on their own.
“The Scottish Government is investing significantly to create appropriate infrastructure – but we also need to invest in projects, similar to the Walking Bus, that widen access, encourage participation and support uptake in schools and workplaces. In doing so, we will encourage a shift away from cars and towards more sustainable travel that improves health, saves people money and reduces emissions."
Commenting on behalf of Scotland’s seven Regional Transport Partnerships, Ranald Robertson, HITRANS Director said:
“We are delighted with this opportunity to further build on the initial success of the first year of the People and Place Programme and the opportunities it offers for greater collaboration with Transport Scotland, our partner local authorities, national and local delivery partners, and transport providers.
“We look forward to supporting a wide range of active and sustainable travel behaviour change initiatives, tailored to the specific needs of local schools, workplaces and communities across Scotland, to help increase the number of people walking, wheeling, cycling or taking public transport for their journeys.”
South East of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership Chair, Councillor Sally Pattle, said:
“Active travel projects, such as the fantastic one we’ve seen in action today in Armadale, are an important part of our transition to a sustainable transport system that will last long into the future. It's been amazing to see how much the children enjoy being part of the Walking Bus, which has both a positive impact on their physical and mental health, and also means a reduction in the number of vehicles at the school at drop-off and pick-up times.
“In the south-east of Scotland, the People and Place programme is enabling us to provide around £2.1million of funding to active travel projects that will work with schools and young people. By supporting local projects such as these across our entire region, the People and Place programme means that walking, wheeling and cycling opportunities are targeted to local needs and challenges, giving the best possible opportunity for behaviour change.”