Funding for Active Travel

Building the Infrastructure of a Healthier Nation

SNP Government policy, through its Active Travel Framework, aims to make walking, wheeling, and cycling the most popular mode of travel for short, everyday journeys by 2030, supported by record funding allocation for active travel within the transport portfolio.

Scottish Government investment has supported and expanded active travel right across Scotland. It has helped to improve infrastructure such as bike lanes, ‘active freeways’ and paths, and is transforming the way we move around.

Since the COVID pandemic we have seen a huge increase in cycling and walking. During lockdown people were encouraged to take physical activity and found their local roads were less busy and felt safer. It proved that people will choose to cycle when they feel safe.

The SNP in government has been building, repairing and improving a Scotland-wide active travel network to ensure that every town has access to a high quality and separated walking and cycling network, allowing safe daily commutes and reducing dependence on private motor vehicles.

Taken together, the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme and its predecessor Community Links have delivered over 450 miles of new or improved walking and cycling paths across Scotland. This has included the major investment we have seen locally in Arbroath and along the Broughty Ferry to Monifieth coastal path.

The successful introduction of the Transformation Fund in 2023-24 has brought about a more direct relationship between Transport Scotland and local authorities, enabling delivery partners to identify a longer-term pipeline of infrastructure projects with an indicative value of £675m. And Bikeability, the national cycle training programme for school children delivered by Cycling Scotland, is supporting the next generation of confident and responsible cyclists, while the National Walking Stategy and work with Paths for All continues to promote and encourage walking.