Scottish Government cuts active travel funding

Scottish Government announced this week (3 September) that active and sustainable travel funding will be cut by £23.7m this financial year, further distancing themselves from their commitment to reach at least £320m or 10 per cent of the transport budget spent on active travel by 2024-25.  

Anne Docherty, Acting Co-Director, Living Streets Scotland comments:  

“Within a couple of years, we have gone from Scotland leading the way by announcing record investment in active travel to this disappointing U-turn, which sees us now lagging other UK nations.  

“The ambition of a more active, healthy and sustainable Scotland can’t be realised without political will and funding. Targets to reduce road traffic by 20 per cent and to clean up our air by 2045 can be torn up in the wake of this news.  

“Supporting people to walk and wheel more keeps us healthy, happy and connected – reducing the nation’s health bill and helping local businesses thrive. The question should not be: can we afford to fund active travel, but can we afford not to?”