Active Travel

It is an important part of leading a healthier lifestyle and decarbonising transport systems across North East Scotland and globally. This entails short journeys, such as strolling to nearby shops or the local school, biking to work or to visit loved ones, or cycling to the train station. Over 50% of all driven journeys in Scotland are less than 5 km, and 26% are less than 2 km, so there’s a real potential to swap the car for walking, cycling, or wheeling.

Encouraging more active travel has become an important priority for cities as it brings lots of benefits in terms of improved public health and air quality, increased road safety, better street life, and reduced carbon emissions.

The Active Travel Framework introduced by the Scottish Government brings together the key policy approaches to improving the public uptake of walking, wheeling, and cycling in Scotland by 2030. The Active Travel by Transport Scotland website has a wealth of knowledge, covering policy, projects, and funding available to support communities, individuals, and businesses to transition to an Active Travel lifestyle.

Here are some examples of Active Travel community projects you could set up:

Community Bike Pool/E-hire Fleet

Would you like your local community to have easy and affordable access to a bike? There could be a community bike scheme set up for individuals in the community to have access to. The bikes could include cargo bikes, accessible bikes, children’s bikes etc. Local examples of these schemes already being successful in the community are:

Bikes in Dufftown Community; Hire an e-bike – Ellon, Mintlaw, Peterhead, and Fraserburgh; Bike Pool in St. Andrews

The funding options for such projects are:

Just Transition Participatory Budget (2025 funding opening soon!) and Transport Scotland Active Travel Funding Opportunities

A green byway is a pathway or route, usually a longer stretch of pathway for public access on foot, wheels, or horse. These byways can connect towns, cities, and villages, current pathways, as well as provide a network to key areas across the country. Some examples of successful byways are the Deeside Way, West Highland Way, Speyside Way, and Formartine and Buchan Way. Communities can work in partnership to create new green byways.

The funding options for such projects are:

Paths for All – Community Paths

Just Transition Participatory Budget – Opening soon.

Setting up a Biking/Walking/Wheeling Group

Active travel is not just about providing the right infrastructure or equipment, it is also about building people’s experience, skills and confidence in walking, wheeling and cycling. A great community project could be set up for training and or regular outings so that people can gain skills, experience and confidence. There are lots of local walking and biking groups. Here are some of the examples:

CTC Grampian

Deeside Thistle – Cycling Club CC in NE Scotland

Inverurie Group – Ramblers

Campaign for Active Travel

Getting the right infrastructure and environment for active travel in place can be difficult. You could set up an active travel campaign group and lobby your elected representatives and take part in consultations etc. Here is an example of current local campaigning group and project:

Aberdeen Cycle Forum – Campaigning for Active Travel in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Other Funding Options

Here are some further links to help with other active travel scheme ideas and funding options for your ideas. Please get in touch with us at info@nescan.org as we are here to help with your ideas and funding.

Government Cycle to Work Scheme – Bike 2 Work Scheme

Developing an Active Nation – Transport Scotland

WOW Walk to School Challenge – Living Streets

E-bike loan – Energy Saving Trust

Active Travel Funding Opportunities – Transport Scotland

Community Led Local Development – Scottish Rural Network 

Climate Ready Places – Adaptation Scotland