Annual report & accounts 2024-25

  1. Introduction
  2. Highlights
  3. Education & training
  4. Monitoring cycling, road safety and connecting people
    1. Monitoring everyday cycling in Scotland
    2. Road safety
    3. Connecting people
  5. Access to bikes, cycle parking & storage
  6. Transport Planning & Engineering
  7. Organisation

Monitoring cycling, road safety and connecting people

Connecting people

Cycling Scotland Conference

250 delegates and speakers joined us for our national Conference in Glasgow to connect with one another, share learning and celebrate important progress in supporting everyday cycling.

Chaired by writer and broadcaster Catriona Stewart, the conference featured a welcome from Deborah Paton, Head of Transport Planning and Delivery at Glasgow City Council, who shared the city’s ambitious plans and success to date in supporting more everyday journeys by bike.

Kate Cairns, road safety speaker, trainer and CLOCS Ambassador, delivered a powerful speech urging both a shift in perceptions around road safety and actions to reduce risks posed by large vehicles in towns and cities. Kate cited the success of Camden Council in reducing road casualty rates through enforced HGV cab redesigns and increased driver training.

Breakout sessions explored key issues around: active travel delivery in a new funding model; data in cycling; and a facilitated networking session examining road safety, transport poverty and climate change. Delegates were also able to take part in led walks exploring Glasgow city centre’s ‘Avenues’ and ‘Connecting Woodside’ projects.

A generational step change is now needed in how we change how we travel, to tackle the climate emergency and improve public health.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Cycling Scotland Conference

In the afternoon, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, delivered the ministerial address to delegates, announcing £10m of Active Travel Infrastructure Fund commitments. She also highlighted the importance of increasing access to cycle training for all children, and emphasised the vital role that supporting walking, wheeling and cycling has in improving lives and lifting people out of transport poverty, declaring: “A generational step change is now needed in how we change how we travel, to tackle the climate emergency and improve public health.”

Adrien Sartre, Political Advisor to the Deputy Mayor of Paris, joined delegates online to share the dramatic success of measures to make the French capital more cycling friendly. This was followed by a cross-party panel discussion on cycling, including representatives from the Conservatives, Greens, Labour, Liberal Democrats, and SNP.

Along with our partners Cycling UK, Sustrans and Scottish Cycling, we announced the Cycling Champion of the Year, Neil Russell, founder and Managing Director of Adaptive Riders Collected for his impact in ensuring that cycling becomes more inclusive and accessible.

 

Cycling Delivery Forum

Cycling Scotland chaired the Cycling Delivery Forum, bringing together local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, National Park authorities, Transport Scotland and other stakeholders three times a year, to review progress on everyday cycling, share best practice, and discuss challenges and results.