Meeting of the Parliament 17 September 2015
I am delighted to lead this debate to celebrate and pay tribute to the national cycle network in Scotland on its 20th anniversary. I thank members from across the chamber who signed the motion that is in my name. I also warmly welcome constituents who have joined us in the gallery.
The network has grown to become a magnificent asset. It covers 2,500 miles across Scotland, connects communities and makes it easier for people to choose healthier and cleaner journeys every day. The network now comes within 500m of over 40 per cent of Scotland’s population and it is estimated that 120 million trips were made on it last year alone. That brings benefits to the health and wellbeing of the people who make those journeys, as well as to our environment and our wider economy. It shows that there is a clear demand for safe and attractive walking and cycling routes across the country.
The national cycle network was created in 1995 after Sustrans received a grant from the newly launched national lottery. I am grateful to Dave du Feu of cycling organisation Spokes for bringing it to my attention that the network’s history stretches further back. I hope that he will not mind my saying that his commitment to cycling stretches as far back as 1983, when Spokes successfully persuaded the then Scottish Office and Lothian Regional Council to commission John Grimshaw, the founder of Sustrans, to prepare reports on the potential of disused railways, as well as other opportunities, to create coherent cycle route networks. That year also saw the opening of the first cycle route across the Meadows in Edinburgh, which finally enabled people to cycle towards the city centre without using major roads.
Two years later, the Grimshaw Scotland report was published. It formed the original concept and inspiration for the national cycle network in Scotland. I will conclude my history lesson by mentioning that Spokes’s leaflet 26 from autumn 1985 described that as
“the best news for many years for cyclists in Lothian and many parts of Scotland.”
The report also helped to inspire the development of the fantastic north Edinburgh network, which provides completely traffic-free cycling from Roseburn in the west to Leith in the east.
As co-conveners of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on cycling, Alison Johnstone, Claudia Beamish and I have had the privilege to work with all the relevant organisations in moving cycling up the political agenda. I also acknowledge the contributions that Sarah Boyack and John Lamont have made to taking forward that work.
The cycling action plan for Scotland has the key aspiration of getting 10 per cent of all journeys in Scotland to be taken by bike by 2020. Although that is ambitious, it is encouraging that Cycling Scotland’s 2015 annual monitoring report shows a 32 per cent increase in cycling levels since 2003.
Edinburgh and Inverness are leading the way, with around one in 10 journeys to work being taken by bike. However, there can be no doubt that significant further progress will have to be made if the aspiration is to become a reality.
With that in mind, cycling organisations are gearing up for the 2016 Scottish parliamentary elections. Earlier this year, I hosted a reception in Parliament to launch “Scotland on the move: The actions needed to get more people walking and cycling”. A number of calls to action are supported by the active travel community, which includes the Scottish cycling charity Cycling Scotland, Living Streets, the Paths for All Partnership, Ramblers Scotland, Sustrans and Transform Scotland. All those organisations agree on the need for guaranteed funding, investment in infrastructure and a variety of measures to make our roads safer for people to travel on by foot and by bike.
Although the network has received the support of successive Scottish Governments, local authorities and other partners, sustained investment in active travel is vital to ensure that the momentum behind the demand for walking and cycling continues. Investing in cycling brings a variety of economic, health and environmental benefits. Sustrans, using the World Health Organization’s health economic assessment tool, has estimated that £321 million was saved in 2014 alone thanks to the health benefits of walking and cycling. Furthermore, the financial benefit of cycling tourism has been estimated at £230 million by Transform Scotland and Sustrans. As for the environment, tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon are potentially being saved as a result of the network. The potential CO2 savings from journeys increased from over 64,000 tonnes in 2013 to over 75,000 tonnes in 2014.
To deliver the best infrastructure for cycling, the single most important factor is long-term commitment from the Scottish Government and local authorities. In that regard, I welcome the Scottish Government’s infrastructure investment plan, which reinforces the long-term commitment to support active travel.
In July, my colleagues Alison Johnstone and Claudia Beamish met the Minister for Transport and Islands to request Scottish Government support for the creation of a competitive award for local authorities for an on-road segregated cycle lane project. Such an award, which would in effect become an award for exemplar projects, would encourage local authorities to build on the existing cycling network with on-road segregated cycle lanes, such as those found throughout the Netherlands and in Copenhagen. That would be a major incentive in helping to change travel culture and behaviour in our cities, and it could lead to residents calling for local authorities to take more action to create safe cycling networks in our urban areas.
It is important that we have good transport links to the network, particularly given the growth in cycle tourism in recent years. I was therefore delighted that, earlier this month, the ScotRail alliance announced that cycling access is being reinstated at Edinburgh Waverley station. This month, a new cycle lane and associated infrastructure will be located on the north ramp, including gated barriers at the foot of the ramp, road markings and new signage. I appeal to the ScotRail alliance to work with organisations such as Spokes and Sustrans in the design of the plans to ensure that cyclists’ needs are listened to and acted on.
Although the national cycle network offers cyclists a traffic-free environment for travel, cyclists still need to share the roads with motor vehicles. If we are to get more people cycling, we need to make our roads safer, less congested and healthier for the next generation. As I have said previously in the chamber, many people want to cycle but feel that the roads are not yet safe enough. The safer we make our roads, the more people will get out of their cars and on to their bikes.
I am pleased that the Scottish Government is taking action to encourage a cultural change on road safety. However, I highlight Cycle Law Scotland’s road share campaign for presumed liability. I recognise that we do not yet have a consensus in support of that in the chamber or in wider society, although I and other members of the cross-party group support it. However, we need to recognise that, in European nations that operate presumed liability, there is a strong correlation between that approach, higher levels of active travel and safer road use. We can all agree that further steps are necessary to build a culture of mutual respect on our roads.
Cycling Scotland’s work to increase practical cycle awareness for drivers of large vehicles through expanding its training sessions for lorry and bus drivers should be welcomed, and it is great that a pilot scheme is being rolled out in Edinburgh to give such drivers the opportunity to experience the issues that cyclists face on the road.
Looking to the future generation, I believe that every child in Scotland should have the opportunity to learn to ride a bike safely and confidently on our roads.
The national cycle network illustrates clearly that supporting walking and cycling is one of the best investments that any Government can make, as it delivers massive benefits for the nation’s health, the environment and the economy. I am sure that members across the chamber will agree with me that we all have a big part to play in supporting the network, and I look forward to working alongside colleagues and cycling groups to ensure that its benefits continue to be delivered now and well into the future.