Image: Transport Scotland
Councils in Scotland must step up and develop ambitious projects to create high quality modern cycling infrastructure.
That’s the verdict of Cycling UK, following the Scottish Government’s announcement of a record £150m active travel budget for 2022/23.
The figure is £34.5m higher than the £115.5m allocated for cycling, walking and wheeling in 2021/22, and the third consecutive year the Scottish Government has increased funding.
Kate Forbes MSP, cabinet secretary for finance and the economy, described it as a “transitional budget” that will “help tackle the climate emergency”.
Welcoming the increase in funding, Cycling UK says councils must “create the high quality modern cycling infrastructure that Scotland so desperately needs.”
Jim Densham, Cycling UK’s campaigns and policy manager for Scotland, said: “During COP26 in Glasgow, thousands of people came together to demand that politicians tackle climate change and call for cycling to be part of the solution.
“Today the Scottish Government made even more money available to help people to ride a bike and reduce their carbon footprint.
“It’s time for councils to urgently use this cash to create cycle lanes, safe routes to schools and other changes to our roads which make our neighbourhoods safe for people to cycle, walk or wheel instead of taking the car.”
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