Key Developments and Achievements since 20 February 2025

Purpose

To provide the Board with an update on developments and achievements since the last Board meeting in February 2025.

Progress is being made against the Fourth NTS Delivery Plan, published on 19 December 2024, which sets out the range of actions the Scottish Government will take until the end of 2025 to support the delivery of a sustainable, safe, inclusive, resilient transport system that meets the needs of individuals, businesses, and visitors, and is accessible to all.

All NTS Board Members representative organisations were invited to contribute to this update.

Section 1: Reduces inequalities

Rail: Free rail travel pilot for companions of blind people

The Scottish Government has launched a pilot scheme that will provide free rail travel for companions of blind and partially sighted people. The pilot will apply on all ScotRail train journeys across Scotland, starting 1 April 2025.

Under this new pilot scheme, individuals holding an eye +1 National Entitlement Card (NEC) will be able to travel with a companion at no additional cost. The pilot scheme, which will run for one year, aims to make train travel more affordable and accessible for blind and partially sighted passengers by introducing a consistent, nationwide policy for free companion rail travel, aligning with existing concessionary bus and ferry travel across Scotland.

Ferries: Island Connectivity Plan Publication

Final versions of the Strategic Approach and the Vessels and Ports Plan which form part of the Islands Connectivity Plan were published in May 2025.

The Islands Connectivity Plan is based on feedback from communities and key stakeholders and sets out how ferry services, supported by other transport modes, will be delivered, and strengthened, working towards a long-term vision, and supported by clear priorities and defined outcomes for people and places.

From 23 June 2025, young people aged 19-21 who live on Scottish islands will be eligible forconcessionary ferry vouchersfor travel between their home island and the Scottish mainland.

Forming a key commitment in the transport budget for 2025-26, the voucher scheme provides four single (or two return) free ferry trips each year to eligible island residents in Orkney, Shetland, the Outer Hebrides, islands in North Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute and Highland Council areas. The scheme currently supports young people aged 16-18 and full-time volunteers up to 25.

Proposed in the Islands Connectivity Plan last year, the extension to concessionary ferry vouchers forms part of the Government’s strategy to ensure ferry services are sustainable and affordable for years to come. The scheme’s expansion follows the introduction offree inter-island ferry travel for all island residents under the age of 22within Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides on 1 April 2025.

Bus: Young Persons Scheme (Under 22s)

As of the end of April 2025, 218 million free bus journeys have now been made by children and young people since the Scottish Government introduced free bus travel for under 22s three years ago, up from 204 million at the end of February 2025. The scheme aims to encourage more sustainable travel and tackle issues related to transport poverty by; encouraging more children and young people to start travelling by bus at an early age; opening up social, education, employment and leisure opportunities; and saving families and young adults travel costs and helping to end child poverty.

Bus: Transport (Scotland) Act 2019

The Scottish Government has now delivered all the bus powers within the 2019 Act to enable local transport authorities to consider all the powers available to them, including partnership working, franchising and local authority run services which sits alongside their ability to subsidise services.

The final regulations required to fully implement bus franchising were laid on 1 May 2025 to come into force in June 2025. Guidance is currently under development to support Local Transport Authorities to develop both Bus Services Improvement Partnerships and franchises.

Consultation on the Bus Open Data (Section 40 of the 2019 Transport Act) commenced on the 31 March 2025, engagement is underway with Operators, Suppliers, Local Transport Authorities and Passenger representatives to garner responses, ahead of it closing on 21 June 2025. The regulations will require provision of information about buses, stops and services, and for this to be standardised, with the purpose of better informing passengers.

Draft Transport Just Transition Plan

The Scottish Government has published itsDraft Just Transition Plan for Transport in Scotland. Building on Scotland’s existingNational Transport Strategy, the new report seeks to identify the key challenges and opportunities our transport sector faces in making a just transition to a net zero transport system by 2045.

The decarbonisation of the sector offers significant benefits in terms of protecting the environment, improving health outcomes and growing the economy. Realising these benefits in a way which is fair is key to the Scottish Government’s approach.

A public consultation which sought views on the draft plan, empowering people to share their views on the action that is required to ensure that no one is left behind as our transport sector transforms, closed on 19 May 2025. Consultation events have also been delivered with trusted partners including Poverty Alliance, Mental Health Foundation, Youth Link, Scottish Women’s Budget Group, NTS Transport Equality Group, RTP chairs CPEN and STUC.

Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS)

Transport Scotland continue to act as Sponsor for the Mobility and Access Committee, the advisory non departmental public body, which considers and advises Scottish Ministers about the needs of disabled persons in connection with transport.

We have commenced recruitment to ensure MACS maintains the minimum number of members required to operate as a statutory committee. This is essential in maintaining MACS's ability to function effectively and continue its advisory role on accessible transport.

Community Transport and Public Transport Initiatives

Perth and Kinross Council have an in-house minibus fleet based at all secondary schools for their use. There is an online booking system and organisations with Section 19 permits and Midas trained drivers, can book these minibuses when they are not being used by the schools. Historically these minibuses were sent to auction when they were due for replacement. However, in 2024, elected members agreed that rather than going to auction, the minibuses were to be MOT tested, serviced and offered free of charge to community groups.

The first three minibuses were very gratefully received by Perthshire Welfare Society, Royal Voluntary Service (Perth and Kinross) and Mantalk Blairgowrie. A further six minibuses are due to be transferred to other groups by September 2025.

The partnership between Perth and Kinross Council and Glenfarg Community Transport Group (GCTG) continues to expand. GCTG took delivery of a brand-new low floor, wheelchair accessible minibus on 28 May 2025 which the Council have initially purchased. GCTG will buy the vehicle from the Council over a 58-month repayment agreement.

Perth and Kinross Council are continuing the Free Bus Travel offer for passengers travelling on all local bus services throughout Perth and Kinross on the first Saturday of each month through to March 2026. An additional free travel day was added for Clean Air Day on 19 June 2025, there will also be an additional free bus travel day in December 2025.

Year two of Perth and Kinross Council’s Transport Transformation Project has commenced and an in-depth Public Transport Survey was issued in May 2025 and has a closing date of 18 July 2025.

Stagecoach East Scotland launched a new commercial coach service between Edinburgh and St Andrews, via Kinross.

Flix, Ember and Scottish Citylink intercity routes and timetables have continued to expand.

Fishers Coaches in Dundee unfortunately entered liquidation in May 2025, highlighting the challenges in the bus sector in Scotland. Local partners including Angus Council are actively exploring solutions to ensure that essential services can continue to operate in the area.

Section 2: Takes Climate Action

The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Scotland Act and carbon budget setting

Following the passing of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act, and the UK Climate Change Committee publication of Scotland’s Carbon Budget Advice on 21 May 2025, the Scottish Government will introduce carbon budgets within three months of receipt of that advice.

Carbon budgets will set a limit on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in Scotland over a five-year period and will provide a more reliable framework for sustained progress in emissions reduction. At the end of each budget period, an assessment will be made regarding whether the budget has been met. There will also be no provision to “carry over” emissions from one carbon budget to another.

Scottish Government published Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics on 10 June 2023. Transport including international aviation and shipping (IAS) remained the largest contributing sector to total Scottish GHG emissions for the ninth consecutive year, accounting for around 33.2% of total Scottish emissions in 2023.

Reducing car use

The Scottish Government remains wholeheartedly committed to reducing car use and our reliance on cars in a fair way. Cabinet Secretary for Transport has confirmed to Parliament and at Public Audit Committee that we will be revising the target for car use reduction informed by Climate Change Committee advice published on 21 May 2025 and by other relevant evidence, to develop a new, longer-term target in support of our 2045 Net Zero target. Jointly with COSLA, on 12 June 2025 we published a renewed policy statement on car use reduction which further sets out our policy position to work with COSLA and regional transport partnerships (RTPS) to develop delivery plans for car use reduction, reflective of different communities and places.

The renewed policy statement reiterates our commitment to reducing car use in Scotland, setting out where we are currently and acknowledging the challenges. It outlines the need and benefits to reducing car use and the enabling environment required. This includes both incentives, such as funding public transport, and disincentives, such as enabling local road user charging and pressing the UK Government for reform of motoring taxation considering the switch to electric vehicles. It sets out four key next steps:

1. A revision of the 20% car use reduction target to set a successor target in alignment with the development of the draft Climate Change Plan which will support Net Zero by 2045;
2. A regulatory check of local road user charging powers;
3. The development of place-based and experience-specific delivery plans with key stakeholders; and
4. A national information and engagement campaign.

Further to this, we have now convened two meetings of a working group to progress the approach to delivery plans and governance for car use reduction, which includes membership from Scottish Government, COSLA and RTPs as well as an introductory meeting of a working group for a national information and engagement campaign on car use reduction on 15 May 2025.

Scottish National Adaptation Plan

The Scottish Government published the third Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP3) during Climate Week in September 2024. The Plan sets out actions to build Scotland’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, including in relation to our transport system. Transport Scotland has a statutory duty to provide annual progress reports on the Transport objective we lead on under SNAP3. A progress report was submitted in April 2025.

Transport Scotland will publish a Trunk Road Adaptation Plan (TRAP) in 2025. The TRAP is a sub-outcome of our Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (ACCAR). The TRAP will be based on the most up to date climate change projections, and climate vulnerability and risk assessments.

Heavy Vehicle Decarbonisation

Transport Scotland continue to work with the road haulage sector, academia and energy network operators to map the potential future need for energy infrastructure for heavy vehicles, allowing investments in the energy network and charging facilities to be made effectively. This year’s iteration will more than triple the real world HGV journey data underpinning the model and has also ensured that the sample is statistically reflective of the industrial sectors using road haulage. The first iteration has been widely welcomed by electricity networks and commercial investors as well as road haulage stakeholders. Awareness is being raised through multiple sessions with trade associations such as the Road Haulage Association and Logistics UK.

In March 2025 Transport Scotland hosted a forum on financing the transition to zero emission HGVs, bringing together operators, financiers, the energy sector and manufacturers to scope out potential mechanisms for using public funding to encourage large-scale private sector investment in vehicle fleets and charging infrastructure. The forum is part of an ongoing programme of engagement with stakeholders to encourage the formation of consortia around opportunities to decarbonise fleets and establish charging facilities.

Both the infrastructure mapping and financing work build on the ScotZEB2 bus decarbonisation programme, which completed the first of its two years at the end of March. ScotZEB2 has established a consortium approach to investment in zero emission buses and coaches. It supports a group of operators, including SMEs, led by an energy company to decarbonise their fleets and install charging infrastructure. That infrastructure will be made available to other third-party operators, thereby establishing the backbone of an HDV charging network while demonstrating a collaborative approach to decarbonisation that can be applied to HGVs and other types of fleets.

Fleet and infrastructure decarbonisation is backed by investment in skills to make sure that the workforce has the ability to install, operate and maintain zero emission technology. Transport Scotland continued its support for training lecturers and providing equipment to colleges, with the number of colleges providing teaching in EV maintenance and repair rising from two to a dozen. The programme has also been expanded to include skills in heavy duty vehicles, high voltage charging infrastructure and broader issues around workforce development and diversity, as well as continuing to expand the number of colleges providing these courses.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging and Infrastructure

The Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (VETS) legislation came into force in Great Britain in January 2024 under the original 2023 Order and was amended to include Northern Ireland from January 2025. VETS is the single most effective policy measure for reducing transport emissions in Scotland. As a result of the 2023 Order, we anticipate Scotland to reduce cumulative emissions by 40 Mt by 2040. Since the introduction of the legislation in January 2024, analysis suggests Scotland now has approximately 132,180 electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids and range extended electric vehicles on its roads. So far this year battery-electric vehicle (BEV) uptake year-to-date is 21%, up 26% compared to May 2024 with (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) PHEVs showing the greatest swing upwards with a 50.8% increase from May 2024.

Following a recent consultation, VETS policy was amended on 6 April 2025 to provide additional flexibility for the automotive industry. In parallel, the UK government has decided to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 allowing the sale of new hybrid cars until 2035; all new cars and vans will be zero emission from 2035. 

Carbon savings achieved by VETS are dependent upon the provision of sufficient public EV charging infrastructure and continued support for consumers to transition to EV ownership to ensure a just transition.

A key element of Scottish Governments continued support to ensure all areas of Scotland have access to a comprehensive public EV charging network is the £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund. The fund will support local authorities to work with the private sector and aims to lever at least a further £30 million of private investment into Scotland’s public EV charging network over the next 5 years. The full £30 million of public funding has now been allocated to local authorities, most working as part of regional partnerships. The first contract that will enable joint public and private investment to deliver an EV Infrastructure Fund project covering the north of Scotland (including Highland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils) was awarded in May 2025, with other projects progressing through procurement.

Aviation Statement

Work continues to progress on the actions included in our Aviation Statement where the Scottish Government can contribute to decarbonising aviation, growing Scotland’s international connectivity and securing lifeline services in the Highlands and Islands.

Section 3: Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth

Major Projects: A9 Dualling

Major construction works commenced in April 2025 on the third A9 Dualling contract, for the Tomatin to Moy project, which the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, visited on 30 April 2025.

Procurement of the fourth A9 Dualling contract, for the Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project, has continued and is on track to achieve contract award in Summer 2025, in keeping with the delivery plan for the A9 Dualling programme announced in December 2023.

Preparations for commencement of procurement of the fifth A9 Dualling contract, for the Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, are well advanced, with a Prior Information Notice published on 30 April 2025. Interested parties have been invited to participate in a pre-procurement market consultation and a virtual “Industry Day” will be held in June 2025, ahead of the Contract Notice which is planned for publication in Summer 2025.

Work to inform further decision-making later in 2025 on the use of Mutual Investment Model contracts for completion of the A9 Dualling programme has also been progressed, including a market consultation that was launched on 24 February 2025 seeking the views of a number of industry sectors. 

The Scottish Government has completed the statutory process for 10 of the 11 projects in the dualling programme, which is over 92% of the length to be dualled.

The only project not to complete the statutory authorisation process is the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing section which was subject to a co-creative process with the local community. Following confirmation of the preferred route option for this section in December 2023, design and development work has continued at pace, with draft Orders published on 30 May 2025 for formal comment. This commences the statutory authorisation process for the project.

A Planning Application for the Aviemore to Carrbridge Non-motorised User (ACNMU) scheme was submitted to the Planning Authority on the 31 March 2025.

The second six-monthly update was issued to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee in May 2025. An annual stakeholder briefing was held in Perth in June 2025 and the Winter 24/25 and Spring 25 quarterly newsletters were issued in February and May 2025 respectively.

Major Projects: A83 Rest and Be Thankful

The Scottish Government is delivering a range of measures in the short, medium and long term to reduce the risk of impact of landslides on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.

The medium-term solution construction of Phase 1, to construct a new southern link road between the A83 and the Old Military Road, commenced in December 2023 and became operational in Spring 2024. Ground investigation works were undertaken throughout 2024 to inform the design of the remaining medium-term interventions, with draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the MTS published for formal comment on 13 December 2024.

The long-term solution design development work has continued at pace since the announcement of the preferred route in June 2023. Draft Orders and the Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the long-term solution were published on 13 December 2024 for formal comment, commencing the statutory process for the scheme. Ground investigation works, to inform the design of the proposed scheme, have continued in the period.

Transport Scotland is considering all representations received, including objections, to the published draft Orders for both the medium and long-term solution schemes and are working at pace to resolve these if possible.

We continue to engage with stakeholders via the A83 Taskforce meetings chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport. The latest A83 Taskforce meeting was held via Teams on 29 May 2025, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport.

Major Projects: A96 Corridor

The detailed appraisal stage of the A96 Corridor Review has been published and Transport Scotland has consulted on the draft outcomes. The 12-week consultation, which ended on Friday 21 February 2025 with over 1,400 responses received, provided the public and other stakeholders with the opportunity to fully consider and feedback on the findings from the appraisal.

This feedback will help inform the Scottish Government’s final decision on how best to take forward improvements to the A96 whilst also balancing the demands of the challenging economic climate and the climate emergency.

Following the publication last year of Made Orders for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass), which completed the statutory process for the scheme, Transport Scotland has been pressing ahead with the procedural steps to take forward the final stage of the process to acquire the land required to construct the scheme. This work is now complete with Scottish Ministers taking title to the land on 21 April 2025.

Work is also being progressed to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and thereafter a timetable can be set in line with available budgets. A market consultation was launched on 24 February 2025 to inform further decision-making for completion of A9 Dualling and seek industry views to inform development of the procurement approach for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass).

Rail: ScotRail High Speed Train Fleet Replacement

Procurement to replace the trains in ScotRail’s InterCity fleet is continuing. This seeks a replacement for the High-Speed Train (HST) fleet of 25 trains which operates on its InterCity routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness.

The replacement fleet is expected to be more energy efficient and will therefore significantly reduce emissions, reduce operating costs and be more in line with current passenger expectations, including for accessibility. The procurement process ensures Scottish suppliers will be able to offer to provide their services to potential bidders.

Ferries: New Vessels

MV Glen Rosa is scheduled to join the fleet within the next year. Along with MV Glen Sannox which entered service at the start of this year, both dual fuel vessels constructed at Ferguson Marine will serve the main Arran route and bring much needed reliability, resilience and capacity to one of the busiest routes on the west coast.

Construction of four other major vessels is underway. MV Isle of Islay will be delivered and in service during 2025 and will serve the Kennacraig to Islay route. The second Islay vessel, MV Loch Indaal as well as the MV Claymore and MV Lochmor both of which will operate from Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris) and Lochmaddy (North Uist), will be in service in 2026.

Phase one of the Small Vessels Replacement Programme will see seven new electric ferries join our Clyde and Hebrides fleet. These new vessels will serve key routes across the network from Mull and Skye to the Kintyre peninsula. They will replace a variety of older small vessels with a standard design which will reduce emissions and improve reliability and interoperability. The contract was awarded in March 2025 and the first vessel is expected to enter service in 2027 with all seven set to be delivered and in service by 2029. Further new vessel and major ferry infrastructure projects are also being progressed.

Local Authority in House Local Bus Operation

The Highland Council recently increased in-house local bus service operation by taking ownership of D&E Coaches in their Council area;

Scottish Borders Council also increased in-house bus services, taking on a further 6 local bus service routes. This was a result of a commercial operator being unable to extend their contracts; and

Dumfries and Galloway Council are currently re-tendering all their school bus contracts and local bus service contracts. Due to a lack of commercial operators in the area this may also result in considerations as to increasing current in-house operations.

Ardrossan Harbour Business Case Review

The Ardrossan Harbour business case review is currently paused as announced by Scottish Ministers in February 2025. Our focus is to explore the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) leading on the negotiations with the private port owners, Ardrossan Harbour Company Ltd (part of Peels Ports Group).

The alternative approach to a potential change in ownership of Ardrossan Harbour is not taken lightly. Despite the best efforts of the main funding partners, it has not been possible to reach an agreeable position on the original proposal related to financial aspects, risk and legal agreements. Therefore to try and unlock investment we need to fully consider and explore the purchase option.

We acknowledge the ask from local communities as to when works on Ardrossan Harbour will begin and when an upgraded port will be delivered. A timeline can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful.

Section 4: Improves our Health and Wellbeing

Road Safety Framework

In 2024/25, Scottish Government invested a record £36 million in road safety across Scotland, funding engineering, education and enforcement to support Safe System outcomes. For 2025/26, the funding available increased by 33% to £48 million, enabling partners to expand initiatives and further reduce road casualties in line with the Road Safety Framework. As part of this funding, the Scottish Government has allocated £7.5 million to support local authorities implement 20mph on appropriate roads by the end of the financial year and also £12.25 million to the Road Safety Improvement Fund. This funding aims to support local authorities in reducing road-related risks and casualties across Scotland.

In addition to this, we continue to invest in the Safety Camera Programme to encourage improved driver behaviour and ultimately enhance road safety across Scotland.

Transport to Health Delivery Plan

A number of initiatives are underway, led by RTPs, working alongside NHS Boards, local authorities, and the third sector, following the publication of the Transport to Health Delivery Plan in October 2024. This includes Nestrans refreshed Grampian Health and Transport Action Plan; HITRANS Highlands and Islands health and transport planning work; the Western Isles Working Group; SEStrans literature review of transport to health issues in the region; and many examples of community transport across various local authorities including increased bus links to hospitals, for example.

Active and Sustainable Travel

In March, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP visited East Dunbartonshire to see the new A807 active travel infrastructure project, where a new shared-use path will make walking, wheeling and cycling a viable option between Torrance and Milngavie. This flagship project for East Dunbartonshire Council received £656,000 funding through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund. During the visit, Ms Hyslop also announced publication of the first Active Travel Infrastructure Investment Report, outlining the investment made in walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure during 2023-24, and reporting for the first time on the delivery of Active Travel infrastructure across numerous funding streams.

In May 2025, the Programme for Government included a commitment to make it easier for people to make more sustainable everyday journeys by delivering projects through our 2025-26 sustainable travel programmes, including the new Bus Infrastructure Fund. In 2025-26, the Scottish Government budget for Active and Sustainable Travel is £188.7m.

Active Travel Investment Fund

In 2025-26, the transformation of Active Travel delivery enters its second year, building from activity and new ways of working introduced in 2024-25 in the delivery of both behaviour change and infrastructure programmes. 

Following approval through both Transport Scotland and COSLA processes, the total funding provided directly to LAs through Tier 1 of the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) in 2025-26 is £37.5 million – an increase from the £35 million provided in 2024/25. Grant Allocation letters issued in April, with the allocation following the same methodology as that introduced in 2024-25, including elements to take account of population pro rata, population density and income deprivation. Engagement indicates that the introduction and operation of Tier 1 has been successful. LAs are delivering across all project types, with a strong focus on improving walking and wheeling infrastructure with crossings and footway/ pavements being the most common project types.

Tier 2 of the ATIF is now the primary vehicle for Scottish Government to fund active travel infrastructure. The Fund is open to LAs, RTPs and National Park Authorities, with applications reflecting ambitions set out in local Active Travel and Transport strategies. In May 2025, Transport Scotland confirmed the allocation of £27 million funding for construction-ready projects assessed as part of the 2024-25 Tier 2 ATIF bid process.

People and Place

The People & Place Programme supports NTS outcomes of Tackling Climate Change, Improving Health & Wellbeing and Reducing Inequalities including Child Poverty. The Programme also supports the NTS policy to Reduce emissions generated by the transport system to mitigate climate change and contribute to improved air quality.

The new People and Place programme commenced in Spring 2024. A key benefit of the new programme has been the collaboration among the organisations involved in identifying their own local challenges and how best to address them, and the fresh opportunities it has created for place-based innovation.

The budget for People and Place Programme for 2025-26 has been set at £27.9 million. This budget has two components: The ‘People and Place Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) Programme’ (£23.4 million), and the ‘People and Place Local Authority Direct Award’ (PPLADA) (£4.5 million).

Bikeability

Participation in Bikeability Scotland is at record levels. 66% of primary schools in Scotland deliver the programme and a record 54,039 children received training in 2023-24, the latest period for which data is available. Investment in Bikeability for 2025-26 has increased to £2.5 million. 

Examples of Active Travel Infrastructure improvements

We continue to see encouraging increases in the number of people walking and cycling where good quality segregated cycling infrastructure is built, and people feel safe and confident to use it.

Cycling data recorded by Cycling Scotland, published in March 2025, revealed the growing impact of two landmark routes: Glasgow’s South City Way and Edinburgh’s City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL).

In September 2024, 5,457 bike journeys were recorded on the South City Way over a 48-hour period, accounting for 15% of journeys on this stretch of road. This is a record modal share for an urban Scottish street. 

In January 2025, over a 48-hour period, the CCWEL route recorded 2,199 cyclists on the West Coates section, an increase of 83% compared to the same period the previous year. 

In addition, RTPs have been continuing to take forward work to develop and progress their respective Active Travel Strategies and associated action plans.