Scottish Government announces £23.5 million for active travel

The cash is intended for programmes that will improve walking and cycling across the country, with projects required to satisfy one of four themes based around schools, businesses, accessibility and inclusion or capacity and capability.
Returning for a second year, the funding will also expand to potentially help fund other sustainable travel projects, including demand-led buses.
Announcing the funding on Friday at a project in Armadale, West Lothian, Transport Secretary 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.
(Image: Supplied)
'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.'
She added: '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.'
Ranald Robertson, the director of Hitrans – the regional transport partnership for the Highlands and Islands – said he was 'delighted' with the funding.
'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,' he added.

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The National

7 hours ago

• The National

Scottish Government announces £23.5 million for active travel

The cash is intended for programmes that will improve walking and cycling across the country, with projects required to satisfy one of four themes based around schools, businesses, accessibility and inclusion or capacity and capability. Returning for a second year, the funding will also expand to potentially help fund other sustainable travel projects, including demand-led buses. Announcing the funding on Friday at a project in Armadale, West Lothian, Transport Secretary 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. (Image: Supplied) '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.' She added: '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.' Ranald Robertson, the director of Hitrans – the regional transport partnership for the Highlands and Islands – said he was 'delighted' with the funding. '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,' he added.

Daily Record

8 hours ago

• Daily Record

South Ayrshire Tourist Tax put on the back burner for two years

The upfront costs, a lack of definitive 'cash benefit', and industry opposition led to councillors agreeing to pause the project for at least a couple of years. A new South Ayrshire tourist tax has been put on the back burner. But tourism spokesperson, Councillor Alec Clark, believes that despite the nature of the tax offered by the Scottish Government, a visitor levy was inevitable. ‌ South Ayrshire Council's Cabinet heard that a visitor levy of between one and five per cent would bring in between £400k and £2m a year at most. ‌ However, significant upfront costs, a lack of definite cash benefits and the opposition of major tourism groups, led to officials recommending a two year pause. Assistant Director of Communities, George Hunter, told the Cabinet on Wednesday: 'Officers have been considering the pros and cons of a visitor levy, including an open consultation that ran for the best part of three months.' He said that the Scottish Tourism Alliance, which is the industry body for tourism, had raised concerns about potential impact on Scotland's competitiveness as a tourism destination. The Federation of Small Businesses also raised concerns about the impact and small accommodation providers who may struggle with the administrative burden of collecting the levy. He continued: 'The FSB have also expressed concerns, supported by engagement with local accommodation providers about the potential negative impact on the local economy. ‌ A similar position was taken by The Association of Scottish Self-Caterists who said that, given the current challenging economic climate, the levy would be an additional burden on their members. The project has been part of the council's transformation programme. Mr Hunter said that officers on the transformation board had looked at the survey feedback and had recommended a pause that would allow them to monitor the impact in other areas which had already agreed to go ahead with a levy. ‌ Councillor Clark said: 'I agree with the outcome and I agree that it has to be reviewed in August 2027. 'I do believe, eventually, we will have a tourist levy. The problem this particular time is that it was complex. 'It was from the very beginning. The Scottish Government decided to make it a percentage levy, whereas anywhere else has a flat rate. ‌ 'That complicated things from the start, because it was a percentage not necessarily of a whole hotel. You have to break that down. 'That causes administration costs right away. It is obviously taken up by the City of Edinburgh and Glasgow, because they themselves have the amount of tourism to justify it, and it'll be interesting to see how Argyll and Bute Council go along with this. 'I think that the problem with the survey is that if you had surveyed the nation or a town to say if they would like to a tax rise, the answer is going to come back 'No', it's a negative. ‌ 'So we go anywhere in Europe, travel anywhere else in the world, and you pay a visitor levy. 'And that visitor levy goes towards making improvements to the tourism offer, and indeed to the suburbs. ‌ 'The problem here is the way that the rest of levy is constructed to be distributed is complicated. 'It's not just a certain manner of distribution that South Ayrshire can turn and say, okay, we bring in £200k and we will use that £200k for x, y and z. 'I think it goes through, though I stand to be corrected, a different type of board who than decide what the priorities are, and it's not necessarily what way we decide. ‌ 'So, overall, I do agree with what we're doing. I support the paper. But, I do think in the end, when the review comes, it may be looked at in a different manner. 'I would hope that the process coming out the Scottish Government is more straightforward.' Following a query from Councillor Hugh Hunter on the specific reason to remove the levy project from the transformation portfolio, Assistant Director of Transformation, Louise Reid, pointed out that the guidance from Audit Scotland requires the work of the board to deliver 'cashable benefits.' ‌ She said: 'As yet, we've been unable to clearly identify what the cashable benefits would be from the introduction of a visitor levy, given the set-up costs that involved developing the new technology, implementing systems and processes. 'There's also a resource requirement up front that would be required. Now, given that there's an also an 18 month consultation that's statutory in place, those costs would be over a number of financial years until we're actually able to generate any benefits from it. 'So, given the focus of the transformation program is on projects that are going to support the council's budget deficit and financial sustainability, that's the recommendation that it should move to this point.' Cabinet agreed to pause the visitor levy programme until August 2027.

Edinburgh Reporter

10 hours ago

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Scottish Transport Awards – Edinburgh's newest active travel link declared a winner

The City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded Excellence in Transport Design at the Scottish Transport Awards 2025 for the Roseburn to Union Canal Active Travel Route which opened recently. This corridor has transformed local connectivity, public space and access to nature with an off road path for walking wheeling and cycling. Lothian Buses and Police Scotland were also recognised for Excellence in Social and Community Value for Operation Crackle, a joint initiative tackling antisocial behaviour and promoting safer public transport. The 22nd annual awards ceremony was held on Thursday evening at the Marriott Hotel in Glasgow. The ceremony celebrated the best of transport operators, infrastructure specialists, frontline workers and local authorities in Scotland. Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP delivered the keynote address and presented the Transport Team / Partnership of the Year award. The Minister said: 'It was an honour to speak at the Scottish Transport Awards tonight (June 19th) and to meet so many of the sector's major players and unsung heroes. 'I particularly enjoyed handing out the 'Team of the Year' award, and speaking to people who are working so hard behind the scenes, day in, day out, to keep Scotland moving. 'This was my third Scottish Transport Awards, and I was able to reflect on the progress being made across the nation on so many impressive projects and initiatives. 'However, there is still so much to do. I want us to build on that momentum to deliver lasting change by working together on our key ambitions and priorities. 'Well done everyone on such a fitting occasion to celebrate your success.' Other category winners included: Best Bus Service: Lothian Buses – Lothian Country Service 43 Rail Supplier of the Year: Story Scotland Excellence in Travel Information and Marketing: Caledonian MacBrayne – 'Every Journey Starts a Story' Contribution to Sustainable Transport: Royal Highland Show Traffic Management Working Group Best Practice in Transport Planning: The Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal – Workforce Mobility Project Outstanding Contribution to Transport: Roy Brannen CBE Lifetime Contribution to Transport: Gillian Murray Graffiti Roseburn to Union Canal Like this: Like Related