Active travel and sustainable transport networking event

The HITRANS Making Connections: active travel and sustainable transport networking event in Orkney, on 01 October, brought together over 30 delegates to share their work encouraging more people to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport in rural and island communities.

A series of insightful presentations shared the unique challenges faced across the HITRANS region and  highlighted that reducing road speeds, improving infrastructure, working in partnership, skilling up staff and interlinking behaviour change initiatives can enable more people to walk, wheel, cycle and use public transport.

Thank you to all the excellent presenters who gave the following talks.

Lisa Fallon, Active Travel People and Place Team Lead, Transport Scotland overview of Transport Scotland’s active travel and sustainable transport behaviour change programme – People and Place. Read more here.

Susan Shearer, Development and Marine Planning Service Manager, Orkney Islands Council overview of delivering active travel collaboratively on an island archipelago using place planning to deliver travel plans. Cross-sector considerations are underway for managing travel around Orkney’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites to deliver low impact tourism and connect communities with their landscape and its history. Read more here.

Caroline Wishart, Early Years Practitioner, Papdale Nursery, Orkney Islands Council keeping children active throughout winter involved a walking and cycling challenge in January and February 2025 using torches and fluorescent jackets to make it fun.  Caroline also explained how Cycling Scotland Play on Pedals training, games, handling bike parts, family cycling safety sessions and bicycle provision have helped over 90 children become confident riding bicycles.

One parent said: “The challenge had a positive effect on our daughter. She generally doesn’t enjoy walking and will complain about being tired, however due to wanting to be involved in the challenge, she suggested going on walks and didn’t complain!” Read more here.

Island Wheels, Shani Hall, Stronsay Development Trust detailed how promoting island bike hire for visitors significantly reduces the number of cars on this small island of 350 residents. Young people are also enjoying increased freedom to meet up with their peers with plans for a new electric community bus. Find out more here.

NHS Orkney’s staff fleet bikes, Sharon Keyes, NHS Orkney, Head of Facilities providing staff fleet bikes for business travel, commuting, and leisure trips, illustrates how a workplace can support staff to make cycling part of their everyday activities. This is supported with strong policy work covering insurance, storage and staff safety.

Safer roads: 20mph implementation across Highland, Emma Garden and Scott Hunter, Highland Council, Roads Safety Officers provided a comprehensive overview of the stages involved in Highland Council’s 20mph pilot and subsequent roll out, in addition to their road safety measures across Scotland’s largest local authority area. Read more here.

Partnership for Wellbeing, Safe Shortcuts film features eight different walking and cycling journeys to get to work in Inverness showcasing traffic free and quiet routes and the importance of quality infrastructure to enable behaviour change. Watch the film here.

Update on HITRANS’ People and Place Programme, Vikki Trelfer, HITRANS, Active Travel Team Leader highlighted key areas of focus in 2026-27 will be local delivery partners, local behaviour change officers, cycle parking programme, workplace grants and the e-bike share scheme HI-BIKE. Read more here.

The next networking event will be held in Moray during October 2026. Details are still to be finalised.