173 organisations to benefit from Cycling Scotland support
£1.79 million has been allocated from the Scottish Government active travel budget to support 173 organisations across Scotland.
Delivered through Cycling Scotland’s Cycling Friendly programme – 148 employers, community groups, campuses and schools will benefit from funding of over £1,464,000. A further £234,622 was awarded to 13 registered social housing providers and £96,380 was awarded through the Cycling Friendly NHS Worker Fund to enable staff at eight health boards access bikes and support during lockdown.
Organisations will benefit from improved facilities such as new showers, new cycling parking, or providing bikes to employees who may not have access or maintenance equipment. It is estimated that more than 343,000 people can benefit from this support across the country.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said:
“I’m pleased that public and private employers, schools, community groups and social housing providers all stand to benefit from Scottish Government funding –delivered through Cycling Scotland’s Cycling Friendly programme. The breadth of organisations getting involved demonstrates the clear appetite across Scotland to lock-in the positive changes we’ve seen in travel behaviour over the last 12 months.
“We’re providing record funding for active travel. Coupled with our support for active travel infrastructure – by improving facilities and providing access to bikes, we can make it easier for people to choose active travel for everyday journeys.”
Kate Brough, Head of Behaviour Change at Cycling Scotland said: “Cycling rates have soared since the start of the pandemic and we are delighted to allocate Cycling Friendly funding across Scotland to help even more people travel by bike for everyday journeys.
“Key developments this year have included: a new Cycling Friendly NHS Worker fund to provide access to bikes for lower paid and temporary NHS key workers, a considerable investment in social housing facilities nationally, supporting employers from small medical practices to larger sites such as Glasgow Science Centre, increasing access to bikes in schools and campuses, and supporting community groups in a range of urban and rural locations.
“By funding cycling facilities such as bike racks and showers, over 343,000 people could benefit from the Cycling Friendly development grant funding this year and many more in the years to come.”
Link Housing Association will receive £20,000 to install external, secure bike parking for the 71 households living across their properties in North Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire, where there currently are no bike parking facilities. Sheila Maxwell, Community Investment Officer at Link Housing said: “Funding this proposal will address the current total lack of bike storage and allow tenants to comply with health and safety legislation around storage of items in communal stairwells.
“It will also encourage more tenants and their families to use bikes and make it easier for tenants who already have bikes to use them more.
“Above all, it will help establish a welcoming neighbourhood environment where tenants and their families can store bikes safely and get outdoors and use them more frequently.”
BACKGROUND
Cycling Friendly Employer funding
42 employers have been awarded a total of £537,929, including Police Scotland in Dundee, Deaf Action in Edinburgh, Glasgow Science Centre, Grantown on Spey Medical Practice in the Highlands, and Carnoustie Golf Links.
• 19 Public sector organisations
• 17 Private sector organisations
• 6 Third sector organisations
More than 23,600 staff will benefit from:
• installation of or improvements to cycle parking: 62 projects £402,585
• installation of or improvements to shower and changing facilities: 12 projects £46,818
• procurement of non-electric pool bikes: 61 bikes £36,118
• Equipment storage and drying facilities: 13 projects £31,677
• Procurement of bike maintenance equipment: 11 projects £9,065
• Signage: 6 projects, £6,660
Cycling Friendly Community funding
59 community groups have been awarded funding of £575,147 to deliver a range of cycling activities. Funded projects include Gallatown Bike Hub, Bikes for Refugees (Scotland), Rainbow Women’s Muslim Group, Life Changes Trust, and Dundee and Angus ADHD Support Group.
The funding will reach people in major cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Dundee, towns Falkirk, Dumfries, and Clackmannan, as well as rural locations from Barra and Vatersay to Lewis and Harris.
Communities that will benefit include refugees and asylum seekers, those living in rural isolated areas, people living with mental health issues, those living in areas of deprivation, people experiencing homelessness, young care-experienced people, unpaid carers, disability support groups, and voluntary water search and rescue team members.
Cycling Friendly Campus funding
Eight university and college campuses have been funded £97,197 to develop cycling facilities, including The University of Edinburgh, Inverness College UHI, Glasgow Clyde College, and Robert Gordon University.
Nine campuses are benefitting from further funding of £137,660 to appoint a Campus Cycling Officer – a dedicated person on campus to promote cycling initiatives – including Highlands and Islands Students Association and Transition University of St Andrews. The internship programme is delivered in partnership with Bright Green Business.
A combined total of 154,230 students and staff in colleges and universities across Scotland will benefit from development funding, and access to a Campus Cycling Officer.
Cycling Friendly Schools funding
34 schools have been funded £116,201, including Speyside High School in Moray, Forrester High School in Edinburgh, Sandwick Junior High School in Shetland, and Arran High School.
More than 24,000 pupils will benefit from an increase in access to bikes and training at school.
Social Housing Partnership Fund
13 housing associations have been funded £234,622 including Cloch Housing Association in Inverclyde, Berwick Housing Association in the Borders, Sanctuary Housing Association in Aberdeen, New Gorbals Housing Association in Glasgow, and Midlothian Council.
The total number of sites across the housing associations is 34, benefitting more than 5150 households.
Cycling Friendly NHS Worker Fund
Eight NHS Scotland health boards have been awarded £96,380 to support staff to cycle to work, who might otherwise not be able to access a bike. Locations include NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Orkney, NHS Forth Valley, and NHS Dumfries & Galloway.
More than 96,000 NHS workers will benefit from access to bikes, lights, puncture repair kits, mudguards and locks.
A full list of supported organisations is available on the Cycling Scotland website: cycling.scot/funding-allocation.
To find out more about how the Scottish Government is working to build an Active Nation visit www.transport.gov.scot/activenation
