26 March 2010
Welcome for Parliamentary inquiry report on active travel
Joint news release from Sustrans Scotland & Transform Scotland
Sustrans Scotland [1] and Transform Scotland [2] today (Friday 26th) welcomed the report of the Scottish Parliament inquiry into active travel. [3] The inquiry has endorsed the view of the sustainable transport groups that in order to significantly increase Scottish levels of walking and cycling that government spending priorities must change in favour of these healthy, sustainable forms of transport. [4]
The report, published this morning by the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee concludes that "active travel has huge potential to benefit the health of the people of Scotland as well as contributing to meeting Scotland’s ambitious climate change targets" but that this won't be achieved without "ambitious increases in resources" and "stronger, more effective and sustained leadership" from the Scottish Government. [5]
Paul Tetlaw, Chair of Transform Scotland, said:
"We need to see a major boost in investment in walking and cycling when the Scottish Government publishes its spending review later this year. If this doesn't happen then we can't see how the Scottish Government can meet its aspiration that 10% of all journeys be made by bike by 2020. Unlike spending on major infrastructure projects, investment in walking and cycling is generally inexpensive and excellent value for money.
"Walking and cycling can make a major contribution towards improving levels of public health in Scotland. The Danes and the Dutch have cycle journey shares of 20-25%, which puts Scotland’s 2% to shame – and it is surely not accidental that these countries also have obesity levels which are less than half that of Scotland’s."
Specifically on cycling, the report concludes that the Scottish Government's target to get 10% of all journeys to be made by bike by 2020 (up from 2% currently) "will be meaningless if the Scottish Government fails to match its stated ambition with a realistic level of funding."
John Lauder, Sustrans' National Director for Scotland said:
"This is an endorsement of the role active travel has to play in allowing people to choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and wellbeing. After this recommendation we trust that the Transport Minister will respond by announcing a funding boost for the forthcoming Cycling Action Plan for Scotland."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
[1] Sustrans is the UK's leading sustainable transport charity. Our vision is a world in which people choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. Every day we are working on practical, innovative ways of dealing with the transport challenges that affect us all. See <http://www.sustrans.org.uk> for details.
[2] Transform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups - see <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/our-members.aspx> for details.
[3] See <http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ticc/reports-10/trr10-04.htm>.
[4] The groups' joint evidence paper is available at <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/GetFile.aspx?ItemId=216>.
[5] See section 234 of the inquiry report.
END OF NEWS RELEASE