Awards to community active travel projects

We have awarded £2.4 million of Transport Scotland’s People and Place Programme to initiatives to encourage people to walk, wheel or cycle on short trips and use public transport for longer journeys.

Ten community schemes in Highland, Moray, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute are sharing £583,822 to offer free or cut-price bikes, cycle repair sessions and safe routes to school.

Another £160,000 is contributing to eight behaviour change staff in Highland, Orkney and Western Isles councils as well as in the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Dunoon Development Trust.

Other funds allocated include transport integration with the Community Cycle Parking Grant (£550,000), workplace support such as the Workplace Active Travel Infrastructure Grant (£195,000), management of Inverness and Fort William HI-BIKE scheme and expansion into Elgin (£413,000), the Fort William Way Finding Project (£46,000) and project management costs (£530,700).

Vikki Trelfer, HITRANS Active Travel Team Leader, said: “We’re so pleased to be able to begin working with community-based local delivery partners this year to deliver our People and Place Programme for sustainable and active travel.

“Local partners will be key to the success of our programme, with local contacts and knowledge, and are best placed to reach those who most need support to make walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport the natural choice for local everyday journeys.”

Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust (ACT) receives £48,657 to help with bike recycling, maintenance and training aimed at inclusion and accessibility.

Since April 2021, ACT’s reCycle project has refurbished more than 300 bicycles and given them away for free to support more people to cycle for everyday short journeys.

It also means over 3500kg of unused bicycles (and parts) has been diverted from landfill.

It currently receives, on average, three bicycles per week and has recently been donated its first electric bike to recycle.

The charity says cost is not always the main issue in accessing a bicycle, with rurality and the lack of access to a bicycle shop or technical services also factors.

Many of those who donate bikes end up being helped to get back in the saddle with a newly-supplied bicycle.

It is exploring setting up an agreement with waste and recycling centres in Argyll to promote cycle re-use.

As well as reducing waste, donated bikes tackle transport poverty and improve health.

The charity also offers cycle servicing and repair on a pay-what-you-can basis, along with on-road training and route planning.

Working in partnership with Live Argyll on school pupil bike training, it supports parents and carers to also get involved in cycling beyond the school grounds.

Jamie Joyce, manager of the ACT Now climate change project, said the HITRANS funding allows its services to continue and expand by increasing staff hours to meet rising demand.

He said: “Cycling for daily travel is often the easiest way to get physically active.

“The reCycle project encourages people to get back into cycling, or get on a bike for the first time, which is good for them and the environment and this is provided without cost or commitment.

“Re-use also has the direct impact of preventing some bicycles entering the waste stream, while also changing mindsets about the value of refurbishment and repair.”

Donna Scholefield, head teacher at Craignish Primary School, said it is keen to ensure all children can access different activities and events, including those in more rural areas having access to a bike.

“Thanks to the work of ACT Now we have been able to borrow enough bikes and helmets for all of our children to access Bikeability and we are very grateful to the team there and especially to Jamie for facilitating this.

“It’s great to know that groups like this are in the area and able to support our schools in ensuring all of our children can be included.”

A £46,000 award to Adventure Oban allows the charity to continue its Active Routes to School project, making it safer and easier for young people to walk, wheel and cycle.

The funding also enables it to employ its active travel coordinator and community development officer and contribute to their training as well as that of volunteers.

Adventure Oban is developing a series of led walks and rides, family cycle training, bike and walking buses to schools, and hostel its flagship cycling event, the Big Bike Weekend from May 30-June 1.

Donated bikes are being recycled and refurbished and given back to the community to get people on the road who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance.

A pilot recycling project started late last year with bikes added to the charity’s Adventure Library of equipment that people can borrow.

It aims to refurbish and deliver 50 bikes this year with each recipient also getting a helmet, lock and lights to travel safely.

Schools involved range from a primary with three pupils to a high school with more than 1,000 students.

At Lochnell Primary School in Benderloch a group of parents and a teacher have formed an active travel action group working to create a school travel plan.

They have already liaised with BEAR Scotland to improve sightlines at a key road crossing and run an HGV safety awareness session with Breedon, who run a local quarry.

In addition, the team works with ACT ReCycle (part of Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust) to deliver bike maintenance themed STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) sessions in school.

Working with Live Argyll staff, it delivers Bikeability Scotland training to give children the skills and confidence to cycle safely.

Repair and maintenance sessions are offered in schools and the community to give people the confidence that their bike is safe to ride.

Adventure Oban’s Active Travel Coordinator, Philip de longh, said: “Through our engagement with pupils, families and schools we often hear that people would love to cycle more but just don’t feel safe on our roads.

“Often this means that independent cycling is not an option for children as parents and carers don’t feel that their children will be safe.

“We would love Oban and the surrounding villages to be places where families feel safe enough to enjoy cycling.

“We all know that cycling is an easy, cost-effective and healthy way for people to travel around their communities, but cycling routes need to be safe to encourage more people to get on their bikes.

“That’s why projects like Active Routes to Schools are so important in making cycling an attractive and obvious choice.

“We think that projects like this need to be accompanied by significant investment in improving infrastructure that makes our roads safer for all users.”

Philip says the funding to help cycle training will enable people to safely navigate roads.

“Our aim is that this will feed into a positive spiral of more people feeling confident enough to cycle, cycling become more visible in the community and more people seeing cycling as the obvious choice to get around.

“Our hope is to contribute to a generation who grow up knowing that walking, cycling and wheeling are the fun, safe, and easy ways to get around.

“While our project is focusing on enabling children and young people, we hope that the enthusiasm for active travel will spread into the wider community.”

The award of £11,000 to Dunoon Community Development Trust means Cycling UK’s Dunoon Bothy Project will continue under the new name of Dunoon on the Move.

Based in Castle Gatehouse, the programme of walks, cycles, training and e-bike loans is supported by project co-ordinator, Sara Hawley, and trained volunteers.

“We know the Dunoon Bothy project has been having a really positive impact on our local community’’ says Ann Campbell, Partnership Manager at Dunoon Community Development Trust.

 ‘’If you sign up to What’s On Dunoon you will receive weekly information about scheduled walks and cycling activities, plus other events taking place in Dunoon and across Cowal.’’

Dunoon on the Move will continue to focus on increasing everyday cycling and walking.

Events led by Sara and the team are designed to raise awareness of cycling and walking routes and provide practical support to increase people’s confidence in making active travel journeys.

Activities include group cycles, Health Walks, buggy walks, silent discos and special interest walks.

Fyne Futures, a charity focused on delivering environmental and employment benefits in Argyll and Bute, also receives £46,000.

Last year its Bike Bute e-bike scheme had 175 bookings with 7,806.9 miles of low carbon travel and held a successful care and repair services pilot.

Other highlights include a successful pilot of Wellness Wednesday led e-bike rides.

Plans for 2025 include a community consultation on an active travel changing behaviour action plan to encourage more walking and cycling, holding monthly bike care and maintenance workshops and weekly led bike rides and healthy walks.

The charity will also buy bikes, equipment and parts to enable unemployed and low income people to access cycling.

Reeni Kennedy-Boyle, General Manager, said: “Fyne Futures are delighted to receive this award from HITRANS to support this programme of fun activities that encourage people to get ‘oot and aboot on Bute’.

“We will be working with others across our community to understand what changes people would like to see and feel that would encourage them to walk, cycle and wheel more.

“We recognise that there are different barriers that can prevent people from enjoying active travel.

“This project will seek to understand these barriers with a clear focus on creating an action plan that we can work on together to achieve change.”

In Highland, two projects have received funding amounting to £110,268

Lochaber Environmental Group’s Fort William Bike Shed receives £91,500. The facility offers bike refurbishment and a cycle ‘library’, along with training, maintenance and a summer ‘build your own bike’ course.

Donated bikes are refurbished and sold on a ‘pay what you can’ basis to reduce the number of bicycles going to landfill, while making available safe and affordable bikes.

Since 2020, more than 400 bikes have been sold or donated, and over 350kg of bicycle parts have been recycled so far this year alone.

Bike library membership has risen to over 300 and nearly 500 hours of workshop time has been logged.

Five volunteers have gone on to gain formal qualifications in bike mechanics.

The HITRANS funding will be used to cover all the core costs for the project, including mechanics, workshop manager, admin and project development, as well as parts and tools needed for bike refurbishments.

Due to the growth of the project over the past five years, and some storm damage in January 2024, the project is at capacity and looking to relocate all its operations under one roof.

Emma Walters, Lochaber Environmental Group (LEG) active travel development officer, said: “The focus of the project is to help people overcome barriers to cycling.

“Bike refurbishment, adhering to the principles of the circular economy along with promoting the replacement of short journeys by cycling, aligns our work with the objectives of LEG and with those of HITRANS.”

SPIN sources donated bikes, refurbishes them with the help of volunteers, and resells them on a ‘pay what you can’ basis.

It aims to reduce the number of bicycles going to landfill while simultaneously providing a source of quality, affordable and safe bikes.

More than 100 refurbished bikes have been either sold, donated or recycled, while more than 350kg of bicycle frames and parts have been recycled since January 1 this year alone.

The project also provides 1:1 workshop tuition for people who want help with bike mechanics for a small donation.

Over 200 volunteer hours have been logged, and five of those volunteers have gone on to gain formal qualifications in bike mechanics.

Project manager Huw Oliver said: “We’re excited to be able to expand SPIN’s workshop provision by creating a specific workshop manager to work alongside the project manager.

“Andy has decades of experience working on bikes and teaching mechanics, and has a real passion for demystifying cycling so that more people can enjoy it.”

In the Western Isles, the Embark Community Activities Project in Stornoway, part of Volunteering Hebrides, has received £40,570.

In the last year, Embark has developed a new walking and wheeling group for those with limited mobility and expanded a programme of walking groups to include nature and beach clean walks.

It also launched a children’s cycle library to tackle rising levels of poverty. This started with more than 60 bikes that families could borrow, free of charge, and swap for a larger bike when needed, and has grown into a fleet of 106, including bikes, e-bikes, e-tandems and trikes.

The new money will be used to help more people in remote island communities use sustainable transport methods for short journeys.

It is expected that 200 participants and 50 volunteers of all ages and demographics will be involved in activities over the year, with additional participants taking part in remote, occasional events such as Step Count Challenges.

Cycling projects include weekly mixed ability cycling groups and family events, one-to-one and small group sessions to help people gain or regain confidence in cycling, group sessions for ladies and support for employers to be cycling friendly.

Walking and wheeling activities include weekly mixed ability groups, step count and walking to work challenges, loans of power chair and mobility scooter and training for volunteers.

Social development manager Ruth Miller said: “We are delighted to have been allocated this funding towards the work of The Embark Community Activities Project.

“Over the next year, we will provide much-needed practical and emotional support so that more people of all ages and abilities can choose to walk, wheel and cycle more, removing the barriers experienced by those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged.”

£181, 875 has gone to two projects in Moray.

Outfit Moray’s Bike Revolution project receives £75,810 to support cycling skills, safety, inclusion, repair and maintenance and active travel in schools and the wider community.

The group delivers Bikeability Scotland cycle training across schools in partnership with Moray Council.

Since 2019, Outfit Moray has seen a 233% increase in school engagement with more than 2,000 pupils reached last year through cycling sessions.

A total of 44 schools across Moray now engage in Bikeability 1 and 2, Learn to Cycle, and Bike Dr activities.

Community support has expanded, with Bike Dr sessions and public events offered widely in Moray to reach more families and community members.

There has also been a rise in inclusive cycling demand, with over 100 adapted cycling sessions delivered in the past 18 months.

The HITRANS funding will directly support the delivery of a series of activities including:

• 30 inclusive cycling sessions in schools, helping more pupils develop their independence, confidence and physical skills.
• 60 sessions offering free bike safety checks and minor repairs to ensure children’s bikes are safe and fit for purpose.
• 30 Learn to Cycle sessions and 45 Bikeability Level 1 sessions to develop children’s bike control skills, journey preparation and the importance of sharing spaces responsibility with others.
• 20 girls-focused biking activities, and 45 instructor-led rides with schools.
• 15 adult bike maintenance workshops and 15 community Bike Dr workshops.

The group also plans to develop its Young Leaders Programme and engagement with young people, empowering them to take an active role in shaping and delivering Outfit Moray activities.

Donna Brown, Bikeability Co-ordinator and Bike Revolution (Delivery) Project Lead, said: “Bikeability, and all the support cycling programme, is a progressive, developmental, inclusive programme outside of the classroom environment which actively benefits confidence, sense of independence, physicality and allows pupils to grow and shine.”

An award of £106,065 goes to Cycling UK’s Moray Bothy, part of the charity’s Connecting Communities programme, which works to overcome barriers to walking, wheeling and cycling in rural and island areas.

The Bothy offers a comprehensive range of support, including adult cycle training, family cycling and confidence sessions, bike loans, led rides, route planning, and basic maintenance skills. It also engages with local communities and businesses to encourage more people to choose cycling for everyday journeys.

With a diverse fleet of bikes, including adapted cycles, the project is fully inclusive, ensuring people of all ages and abilities can take part.

Between 2021 and 2025, Cycling UK delivered 854 cycling activities in Moray, reaching 3,551 participants and helping many switch from car to cycle for short, local trips.

Freda Whitaker, Cycling UK’s Connecting Communities programme manager, said:

“Thanks to HITRANS’ support through the People and Place Programme, our Connecting Communities work in Moray can continue to grow.

“This funding means more people, especially those facing barriers to active travel, can access the confidence, support and inclusive opportunities they need to cycle more often for everyday journeys.”

Schools in Moray and the Western Isles also share £99,452 awarded to Living Streets for WOW, its walk to school programme. 

The charity currently delivers WOW in more than 20 primary schools across Argyll and Bute, Highland, Moray, the Western Isles and Orkney.

The pupil-led initiative encourages students to log their active journeys to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker, with over 145,000 journeys logged last year.

Pupils who walk, cycle, scoot, or wheel to school once a week for a month are rewarded with a special collectible badge.

WOW schools see an average of 59% fewer car journeys to the school gates and 18% more journeys walking and wheeling all the way to school.

The funding is helping 18 schools in Moray, working with 4,029 pupils and five schools in the Western Isles reaching 750 pupils.

Schools participating in WOW for three or more years can improve walking/wheeling rates by 5-9% and lower car use by 14%.

Chris Thompson, Programme Manager, Living Streets Scotland, said: “Swapping the school run for an active journey to school supports children’s mental and physical health and helps instil healthy habits. Exercise before school is also proven to help children focus better in lessons.

“It’s wonderful to see the changes in schools we’re supporting across Moray and the Western Isles, from cleaner air outside the school gates to happier, healthier pupils.”

Schools interested in joining WOW – the walk to school programme – can email scotschools@livingstreets.org.uk for more information.

For more information on HITRANS’ People and Place Programme can be found here.