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I wanted to update you on some recent developments with regard to investment in cycling and the inaugural national cycling summit for Scotland.
After campaigning vigorously for additional investment in cycling, I was delighted at the Scottish Government's announcement this Active Travel Update No. 8 I wanted to update you on some recent developments with regard to investment in cycling and the inaugural national cycling summit for Scotland.
After campaigning vigorously for additional investment in cycling, I was delighted at the Scottish Government's announcement this month that an additional £20 million will be made available for cycling between 2014/15 and 2015/16, which is in addition to the existing £58 million already allocated to active travel in the 2011 spending review, and the £3.9 million announced in December last year for a programme of shovel ready projects.
This additional £20 million will provide a significant enhancement to the existing support from the Scottish Government, and provides a real opportunity for local authorities to plan ambitiously for infrastructure improvements that are needed in their areas, encouraging them to develop exemplar projects that will make a
difference in helping more people walk and cycle for everyday local journeys. £3.6 million of this will be allocated to the City of Edinburgh Council's scheme to implement cycling improvements on Leith Walk, which will serve to help realise the scheme's potential for promoting active travel along a key commuter corridor. The additional funding has been warmly welcomed by cycling organisations in Scotland such as Sustrans Scotland and Cycling Scotland.
This week's inaugural national cycling summit for Scotland, which was held in Edinburgh, provided local authorities regional transport partnerships and other bodies involved in active travel with an opportunity to discuss what more can be done to make cycling safe and attractive for all. The summit provided these bodies and 2015/16, which is in addition to the existing £58 million already allocated to active travel in the 2011 spending review, and the £3.9 million announced in December last year for a programme of
shovel ready projects.
This additional £20 million will provide a significant enhancement to the existing support from the Scottish Government, and provides a real opportunity for local authorities to plan ambitiously for infrastructure improvements that are needed in their areas, encouraging them to develop exemplar projects that will make a difference in helping more people walk and cycle for everyday local journeys. £3.6 million of this will be allocated to the City of Edinburgh Council's scheme to implement cycling improvements on Leith Walk, which will serve to help realise the scheme's potential for promoting active travel along a key commuter corridor. The additional funding has been warmly welcomed by cycling organisations in Scotland such as Sustrans Scotland and Cycling Scotland.
This week's inaugural national cycling summit for Scotland, which was held in Edinburgh, provided local authorities regional transport partnerships and other bodies involved in active travel with an opportunity to discuss what more can be done to make cycling safe and attractive for all. The summit provided these bodies with an opportunity to discuss what more can be done to deliver on the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland's ambition of 10% of journeys being made by bicycle by 2020.
I will continue to do all that I can to sustain investment in cycling beyond 2015/16, and support initiatives which make our roads safe for cyclists.
Yours sincerely
Jim Eadie MSP
Jim Eadie
MSP for Edinburgh Southern
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh EH99 1SP
Telephone 0131 348 6283
Jim.Eadie.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
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