CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"

CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!" en Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:40:32 +0000 chdot on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-1158 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:49:54 +0000 chdot 1158@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <a href="http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2009/12/scottish-budget-2010-11-no-progress-yet/">Interesting update on Spokes web site. </a> "There is no sign of the Scottish Government paying attention to the recommendations of the all-party Parliamentary Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee." SRD on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-900 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:41:11 +0000 SRD 900@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Longest reply yet from Ian Mckee, although I think it is fairly classic buck-passing and redefining the question: Dear Constituent So many people have contacted me about this issue that I have drafted this response. Please do get back in touch if you wish to discuss further. The Transport Infrastructure & Climate Change Committee has expressed concern over the budget line of ‘Support for Sustainable and Active Travel’ that has declined from £11.5m to £11.3m. The Committee has asked for the Scottish Government to find additional money from within the transport budget, although regrettably it hasn’t recommended where that money should come from. The Committee is now conducting a full-scale inquiry into active travel, and if this generates costed proposals then the Scottish Government will of course consider them with interest. The reality of the Scottish budget however is that the Scottish Government has to work with an £800m reduction in its budget due to Westminster’s recession. This is a real threat to all public spending in Scotland and cannot simply be wished away. It means that all budgets are under severe pressure. Setting the Scottish Government's budget for the year is a lengthy and in-depth process which does involve looking at all areas of spending across the Government and identifying priorities. The Scottish Government sees investment to encourage more cycling as an important priority. However, delivering all our priorities through the 2010-11 draft budget submitted to the Parliament is already challenging, as transport and other budgets are fully committed. I also wish to highlight that opposition parties have so far been more concerned with GARL - the Glasgow Airport Rail Link - than active transport or green issues in general. I must also highlight that the future take up of cycling will be affected far more by factors such as the layouts of new road networks through planning policy – which the Scottish Government is in the process of comprehensively overhauling. [Announcement expected Fri 18th Dec] Cycling and sustainable transport are not solely supported through this one, relatively small budget line. Local government, which has received a record £23bn funding package from central government, is responsible for delivering many of the real improvements on the ground, and is generously supported to do so. The Scottish Government’s Cycling Action Plan envisages a substantial increase by 2020 towards 10% of journeys being by bike. Consultation responses are being finalised and a copy will be made available to the TICC Committee to inform its final report into Active Travel. Ministers have already agreed that the final Action Plan would take account of the recommendations in that report which would include options for future funding. Another national example is the £27.4m Climate Challenge Fund, which supports grassroots community projects across Scotland. Many of these have been wholly or substantially focused on cycling. For example the £300,000 Greener Leith project includes promotion of cycling as part of a campaign to improve the environmental profile of the area as a whole. The work of the Bike Station in the Southside of Edinburgh is another excellent example. You can see my motion on this here: <a href="http://www.ianmckee.org/motions" rel="nofollow">http://www.ianmckee.org/motions</a> I take this opportunity to inform you that I have marked this motion for member's debate in Parliament and that I hope to discuss the topic of cycling, the progress made by the Bike Station and how this sets an example to companies and organisations across Scotland. Yours sincerely Dr. Ian McKee MSP Kirst on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-653 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:02:06 +0000 Kirst 653@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ That's her standard reply; I got it too. And <blockquote>Gavin Brown MSP would like to thank you for your recent email regarding cycling funding. The Scottish Conservatives are currently discussing the draft budget and Mr Brown would like to assure you that he will keep your representations in mind during these discussions. Regards Richard Forgan Researcher to Gavin Brown MSP </blockquote> chdot on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-640 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:23:26 +0000 chdot 640@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ INDEED Even if that is now her 'standard reply' it's good. SRD on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-639 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:14:03 +0000 SRD 639@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Now here's a good reply! Thank you for your email. It is extremely important that we invest in cycling and walking to meet climate change targets whilst contributing to improvements in the nation's health and wellbeing. I know a lot of people are put off cycling in Edinburgh because of the roads, but the more people who cycle the safer it becomes and steps must be taken at all levels to encourage this. As a member of the Transport Committee I am happy to raise funding for cycling and walking with the Transport Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance. As you are aware, Scottish Government has published a draft of the first ever Cycle Action Plan for Scotland which has ambitious targets to increase the modal share of transport to 10% by 2020. The document recognises the need for more funding in order to get more people cycling and states that this is an issue being looked at for the next spending review:- 'health experts and academics readily acknowledge that the current levels of investment will not increase levels of cycling.The responses to this action plan and the evidence from health and environmental research will strengthen the case for a higher level of investment in the next spending review period which begins in April 2011. The Scottish Government will review all current funding streams in order to provide scope for consideration of increased levels of investment to achieve a better aligned cycling budget across policy areas.' Cycle Action Plan for Scotland Consultation, p14 <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/273788/0081826.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/273788/0081826.pdf</a> Active travel is the subject of a Transport committee enquiry at the moment and the Finance Secretary John Swinney has agreed to hold off on publishing more material on the cycling action plan until after the committee have reported. He has stated that he will be happy to consider its proposals. You can read the papers or watch the committee's progress on the issue here. <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ticc/index.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ticc/index.htm</a>. The Scottish Government is taking active steps to promote cycling. The Pedal for Scotland event (organised by Cycling Scotland) saw a 23% increase in participants in 2009 compared with the previous year. The annual Bike Week has seen a trebling of participants in four years, from 15,000 in 2005 to 42,200 in 2008. Monitoring of how children travel to school has also improved with the first SUSTRANS hands-up travel survey in September 2008. An online resource has also been developed to encourage more active travel <a href="http://chooseanotherway.com/" rel="nofollow">http://chooseanotherway.com/</a> It's also worth noting that the funding for cycling projects is not always disaggregated from other forms, and a number of other sources are available in addition to the Active Travel Fund. This includes the Climate Challenge Fund which has provided significant levels of funding to projects such as 'Active Leith' and 'Recycke a Bike'. There are also initiatives funded through 'Healthier Scotland' which promote cycling. Nevertheless, I would like to see an increase in specific walking and cycling funding and am happy to raise the issue. Best wishes, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP Kirst on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-588 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:22:33 +0000 Kirst 588@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Replies from Margo and Sarah Boyack. Margo says "Dear Kirsten, Thank you for your email copied to Margo MacDonald. Ms MacDonald hasreceived a number of emails recently drawing her attention to mattersrelated to sustainable transport and in particular, cycling. She will consider them all together as and when this comes to the Chamber. Yours sincerely Peter Warren Office Manager - Margo MacDonald MSP PS Apologies that you are getting the standard email Kirsten, however Margo has had a huge number of emails on this and on the matter ofprostitution over the past couple of days and we are trying to clear the inboxes....Hope things are OK with you at the moment" and Sarah Boyack says "Dear Ms xxx, Thank you for your email to Sarah Boyack MSP. I am writing to confirm that your email has been received and that I have passed it on toSarah's constituency office for her consideration. You may be interested to know that Sarah produces a monthly e-newsletter to update constituents on her work. I have attached the latest edition for your information and will add your name to the distribution list to receive future editions. If you do not wish to receive the e-newsletter,please respond to this message and I will be happy to remove your name from the list. Kind regards Chrissie Finnigan Parliamentary Assistant to Sarah Boyack MSP" So one says the MSP has had lots of correspondence about this and will take it all into consideration, sorry for the standard email, and one says thanks for your email, we've stuck you on our mailing list! Hmmm. I know which I consider to be the better reply. chdot on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-542 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:45:39 +0000 chdot 542@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ "Emailed my MSPs yesterday" Well done, shame on me. Pity he's not more 'supportive', but good about the "quite a lot". Certainly his constituency must have a LOT of people who cycle. SRD on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-540 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:30:56 +0000 SRD 540@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ Emailed my MSPs yesterday and got following back from Mike Pringle "Thank you for your e-mail. I have had quite a lot on this subject & I will send on your concerns to the Minister & let you know what his reply is". Rather noncomittal, but good to know he has 'had quite a lot'.... chdot on ""Scottish draft budget 2010-11: a step forward!"" http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=113#post-455 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:51:04 +0000 chdot 455@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <a href="http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2009/12/scottish-draft-budget-2010-11-a-step-forward/#more-538">Good and encouraging report on Spokes web site. </a> Extract - "The full Parliament is debating the budget shortly (probably 17 December) and the Committee is asking that before that date the government urgently looks at the transport section of the budget and tries to reallocate some funding to cycling/walking investment. Given that cycling investment totals well under £20m, whereas the entire transport budget is around £2500m (of which nearly half is trunk roads) a modest reallocation must surely be possible! [The Spokes budget submission - which is complimented in the TICC report - suggests a new £20m cycle projects fund, in addition to existing funding sources]." Finance Secretary, John Swinney, has ignored transport committee recommendations on cycling in past two years. This year campaigners are more optimistic. Still worth adding pressure by emailing your MSPs. <a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com/"><a href="http://www.theyworkforyou.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.theyworkforyou.com</a> - search by post code</a>. (If you live in Edinburgh you have 1 constituency one and 7 list ones.)