Scottish active travel receives £23m boost

The Scottish Government has allocated £23.45m across its seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) for active travel schemes that target short, everyday journeys.

The seven RTPs that will receive a share of the cash are:

• Shetland Transport Partnership
• Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership
• North-East of Scotland Transport Partnership
• Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership
• South-East of Scotland Transport Partnership
• Strathclyde Partnership for Transport
• South-West of Scotland Transport Partnership

The funding is planned for projects focused on four key areas: active schools, active workplaces, accessibility and inclusion, and capacity and capability.

These schemes are expected to include the development of active travel strategies, along with the installation of infrastructure and the creation of safe school routes.

Cabinet secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said the funding was part of over £188m that the Scottish Government is spending on active and sustainable travel in 2025-26.

‘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,’ she said.

Image credit: Shutterstock @Pete Stuart