Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 29 March 2012
29 Mar 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Cycling
I have enjoyed listening to the debate and I commend Alison Johnstone for giving us the opportunity to focus on the benefits of cycling and active travel.
I am glad that pedestrians feature in the motion because, in sharp contrast to my colleague John Lamont, I am not a proficient cyclist, although I do quite a bit of walking. I was not allowed a bike of my own as a child, because we lived on a busy main road, and I regret that as a result I have missed out on a lot of the enjoyment that competent cyclists experience, so I sympathise with the calls to make cycling safer for and accessible to all children.
We have heard much about the many benefits of cycling and it is encouraging that an increasing number of people are taking it up because, in a busy modern world, it is all too easy to become less and less active physically and to suffer the health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
As recently as 2010, the Scottish health survey found that 61 per cent of adults and 28 per cent of children did not meet the recommended physical activity level of 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week. That is simply not good enough if we are to tackle obesity and its attendant risks of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, to name but a few long-term conditions that are prevalent in an underactive population. Cycling can aid weight loss even in the absence of dieting and, as well as having physical benefits, it has been proven to assist in preventing and overcoming depression. Indeed, statistics show that people who undertake regular moderate activity, such as cycling to work, enjoy the wellbeing of people a decade younger, as well as being more alert, more self-confident and better able to cope with stress and anxiety.
I find walking an excellent way to enjoy our beautiful countryside, and cycling enables people to see even more of it—that is particularly true of cycling on mountain bikes, which allows people to go on fairly rough terrain. Such activities are a great attraction for tourists, and it is good to see mountain biking tracks being developed at Glenshee, the Lecht and other ski centres, which have, of course, suffered from a lack of snow this winter.
Studies done last year reckoned that mountain biking contributes £139 million to the Scottish economy, which is expected to rise to £155 million by 2016 so it is an activity to be encouraged.
The minister may be interested to know that yesterday I met the chief executive of Glasgow 2014 Ltd, the organiser of the Commonwealth games. We discussed a range of issues, including the role that cycling will play in the games and the possible benefits from the games in terms of a physical activity legacy. In that regard, I note the caveat from Ramblers Scotland that such benefits will be achieved only if there is a massive increase in the proportion of the population who spend much more time walking or cycling.
I was interested to learn that the stunning new Sir Chris Hoy velodorome is scheduled to open in Glasgow in October, which will allow members of the public to use it for almost two years before the games take place. Given the intention to encourage people to cycle and walk during the course of the games, it would be no bad thing if ministers were to lead by example and get on their bikes instead of into their expensive ministerial cars.
No debate on cycling would be complete without a mention of the nation’s favourite cyclist: the mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Boris bikes have now become as much a feature of the capital city as red buses and Big Ben. His groundbreaking initiative of introducing 6,000 sponsored bikes for hire around London and 400 docking stations is, as he himself has said,
“a glorious new form of public transport”.
Therefore, I was pleased to learn that there are plans to extend the scheme across the east end of the city. That is one reason why members on this side of the chamber look forward to seeing Boris re-elected for another term as mayor of London. We might do well to pick up on some of his ideas.
I am glad that pedestrians feature in the motion because, in sharp contrast to my colleague John Lamont, I am not a proficient cyclist, although I do quite a bit of walking. I was not allowed a bike of my own as a child, because we lived on a busy main road, and I regret that as a result I have missed out on a lot of the enjoyment that competent cyclists experience, so I sympathise with the calls to make cycling safer for and accessible to all children.
We have heard much about the many benefits of cycling and it is encouraging that an increasing number of people are taking it up because, in a busy modern world, it is all too easy to become less and less active physically and to suffer the health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
As recently as 2010, the Scottish health survey found that 61 per cent of adults and 28 per cent of children did not meet the recommended physical activity level of 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week. That is simply not good enough if we are to tackle obesity and its attendant risks of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, to name but a few long-term conditions that are prevalent in an underactive population. Cycling can aid weight loss even in the absence of dieting and, as well as having physical benefits, it has been proven to assist in preventing and overcoming depression. Indeed, statistics show that people who undertake regular moderate activity, such as cycling to work, enjoy the wellbeing of people a decade younger, as well as being more alert, more self-confident and better able to cope with stress and anxiety.
I find walking an excellent way to enjoy our beautiful countryside, and cycling enables people to see even more of it—that is particularly true of cycling on mountain bikes, which allows people to go on fairly rough terrain. Such activities are a great attraction for tourists, and it is good to see mountain biking tracks being developed at Glenshee, the Lecht and other ski centres, which have, of course, suffered from a lack of snow this winter.
Studies done last year reckoned that mountain biking contributes £139 million to the Scottish economy, which is expected to rise to £155 million by 2016 so it is an activity to be encouraged.
The minister may be interested to know that yesterday I met the chief executive of Glasgow 2014 Ltd, the organiser of the Commonwealth games. We discussed a range of issues, including the role that cycling will play in the games and the possible benefits from the games in terms of a physical activity legacy. In that regard, I note the caveat from Ramblers Scotland that such benefits will be achieved only if there is a massive increase in the proportion of the population who spend much more time walking or cycling.
I was interested to learn that the stunning new Sir Chris Hoy velodorome is scheduled to open in Glasgow in October, which will allow members of the public to use it for almost two years before the games take place. Given the intention to encourage people to cycle and walk during the course of the games, it would be no bad thing if ministers were to lead by example and get on their bikes instead of into their expensive ministerial cars.
No debate on cycling would be complete without a mention of the nation’s favourite cyclist: the mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Boris bikes have now become as much a feature of the capital city as red buses and Big Ben. His groundbreaking initiative of introducing 6,000 sponsored bikes for hire around London and 400 docking stations is, as he himself has said,
“a glorious new form of public transport”.
Therefore, I was pleased to learn that there are plans to extend the scheme across the east end of the city. That is one reason why members on this side of the chamber look forward to seeing Boris re-elected for another term as mayor of London. We might do well to pick up on some of his ideas.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-02522, in the name of Alison Johnstone, on cycling.09:15
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
It is often the case that the public are ahead of the politicians. In our capital city, on certain routes and at certain times of day, up to 20 per cent of t...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Alison Johnstone for taking my intervention and for the constructive way in which she has brought the issue before Parliament.Alison Johnstone has th...
Alison Johnstone
Green
Absolutely, I will. We all commend the work of Spokes, pedal on Parliament, and Sustrans. They have all played very important parts in raising the profile of...
The Minister for Housing and Transport (Keith Brown)
SNP
I thank Alison Johnstone for lodging the motion and for the way in which she has spoken to it. It is a comprehensive motion on cycling that provides us with ...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
I declare an interest as a former chair of the north east of Scotland transport partnership. In the north-east, there has been an initiative to fit Fresnel l...
Keith Brown
SNP
At the road safety forum, we discussed several initiatives that are taking place in different localities, and the need to spread those out as best practice. ...
Jim Eadie
SNP
Does the minister agree that, by pledging to spend 5 per cent of its transport budget on active travel schemes, the City of Edinburgh Council sets a good exa...
Keith Brown
SNP
It is true that, over a long period—certainly even when I lived in Edinburgh up to the 1980s—the council’s leadership role has been evident. Other local auth...
Alison Johnstone
Green
Will the minister take an intervention?
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I am sorry—the minister does not have time to give way.
Keith Brown
SNP
The cycling, walking and safer streets grant will be just over £6 million in 2012-13. Our grant offer retains a request for at least 36 per cent, and prefera...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, welcome the opportunity to discuss cycling. We have had debates on buses, ferries and railways in the past few weeks, so it is about time we discusse...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
A mandatory 20mph limit was put in place in Sunnybank in my constituency in Aberdeen without any accompanying traffic-calming measures. Such measures had to ...
Elaine Murray
Lab
That comes back to policing, which is where some resistance comes in from local authorities and police forces. They do not want to have to police the 20mph l...
John Lamont (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Alison Johnstone on using her party’s business time to bring this very important issue to the chamber. I think that it is the first time durin...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you, Mr Lamont. Your cycling history is impressive.09:43
Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
SNP
I will not even try to follow that with my cycling record.I am grateful to the Green party for bringing this timely debate to the chamber. Cycling has been a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You need to start winding up.
Marco Biagi
SNP
The City of Edinburgh Council is now showing the kind of leadership that has been shown by other cities across Europe. I hope that Scotland’s other local aut...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Malcolm Chisholm. I remind members that they have a strict four minutes.09:47
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the Scottish Government’s reaffirmation of its commitment to ensure that 10 per cent of journeys will be made by bike by 2020, since that is clearl...
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
I join other members in welcoming this Green party debate.It seems to me that there are three strands in this debate about cycling. We are talking about cycl...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Many thanks, Mrs McLeod. I appreciate your brevity.09:54
Helen Eadie (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate the Green party on choosing to use its parliamentary time to highlight cycling and call on the Scottish Government to improve the offering for...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I declare an interest; I am an executive member of the Scottish Accident Prevention Council.I welcome the debate and endorse the comments about the health an...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
We come to the closing speeches.10:02
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I have enjoyed listening to the debate and I commend Alison Johnstone for giving us the opportunity to focus on the benefits of cycling and active travel.I a...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Nanette Milne
Con
I am just finishing.