Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Thursday, September 17, 2015

Official Report 860KB pdf

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National Cycle Network

The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-13831, in the name of Jim Eadie, on the 20th anniversary of the national cycle network. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I ask guests who are leaving the gallery to do so quietly, please.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament joins Sustrans Scotland in celebrating the National Cycle Network in Scotland as it turns 20 years old in 2015; understands that the network runs for over 2,500 miles across Scotland, including through the Edinburgh Southern constituency, providing important community links that encourage everyday journeys to be made more sustainably; acknowledges that, in 2014, the network hosted over 120 million trips on foot or by bike; considers that the network is a huge asset for Scotland, with the health benefits of network journeys and the economic value of leisure and tourism cycling valued at hundreds of millions of pounds, and believes that as the network continues to grow in the years ahead so too will the benefits.

12:31  

I am delighted to lead this debate to celebrate and pay tribute to the national cycle network in Scotland on its 20th anniversary. I thank members from across the chamber who signed the motion that is in my name. I also warmly welcome constituents who have joined us in the gallery.

The network has grown to become a magnificent asset. It covers 2,500 miles across Scotland, connects communities and makes it easier for people to choose healthier and cleaner journeys every day. The network now comes within 500m of over 40 per cent of Scotland’s population and it is estimated that 120 million trips were made on it last year alone. That brings benefits to the health and wellbeing of the people who make those journeys, as well as to our environment and our wider economy. It shows that there is a clear demand for safe and attractive walking and cycling routes across the country.

The national cycle network was created in 1995 after Sustrans received a grant from the newly launched national lottery. I am grateful to Dave du Feu of cycling organisation Spokes for bringing it to my attention that the network’s history stretches further back. I hope that he will not mind my saying that his commitment to cycling stretches as far back as 1983, when Spokes successfully persuaded the then Scottish Office and Lothian Regional Council to commission John Grimshaw, the founder of Sustrans, to prepare reports on the potential of disused railways, as well as other opportunities, to create coherent cycle route networks. That year also saw the opening of the first cycle route across the Meadows in Edinburgh, which finally enabled people to cycle towards the city centre without using major roads.

Two years later, the Grimshaw Scotland report was published. It formed the original concept and inspiration for the national cycle network in Scotland. I will conclude my history lesson by mentioning that Spokes’s leaflet 26 from autumn 1985 described that as

“the best news for many years for cyclists in Lothian and many parts of Scotland.”

The report also helped to inspire the development of the fantastic north Edinburgh network, which provides completely traffic-free cycling from Roseburn in the west to Leith in the east.

As co-conveners of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on cycling, Alison Johnstone, Claudia Beamish and I have had the privilege to work with all the relevant organisations in moving cycling up the political agenda. I also acknowledge the contributions that Sarah Boyack and John Lamont have made to taking forward that work.

The cycling action plan for Scotland has the key aspiration of getting 10 per cent of all journeys in Scotland to be taken by bike by 2020. Although that is ambitious, it is encouraging that Cycling Scotland’s 2015 annual monitoring report shows a 32 per cent increase in cycling levels since 2003.

Edinburgh and Inverness are leading the way, with around one in 10 journeys to work being taken by bike. However, there can be no doubt that significant further progress will have to be made if the aspiration is to become a reality.

With that in mind, cycling organisations are gearing up for the 2016 Scottish parliamentary elections. Earlier this year, I hosted a reception in Parliament to launch “Scotland on the move: The actions needed to get more people walking and cycling”. A number of calls to action are supported by the active travel community, which includes the Scottish cycling charity Cycling Scotland, Living Streets, the Paths for All Partnership, Ramblers Scotland, Sustrans and Transform Scotland. All those organisations agree on the need for guaranteed funding, investment in infrastructure and a variety of measures to make our roads safer for people to travel on by foot and by bike.

Although the network has received the support of successive Scottish Governments, local authorities and other partners, sustained investment in active travel is vital to ensure that the momentum behind the demand for walking and cycling continues. Investing in cycling brings a variety of economic, health and environmental benefits. Sustrans, using the World Health Organization’s health economic assessment tool, has estimated that £321 million was saved in 2014 alone thanks to the health benefits of walking and cycling. Furthermore, the financial benefit of cycling tourism has been estimated at £230 million by Transform Scotland and Sustrans. As for the environment, tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon are potentially being saved as a result of the network. The potential CO2 savings from journeys increased from over 64,000 tonnes in 2013 to over 75,000 tonnes in 2014.

To deliver the best infrastructure for cycling, the single most important factor is long-term commitment from the Scottish Government and local authorities. In that regard, I welcome the Scottish Government’s infrastructure investment plan, which reinforces the long-term commitment to support active travel.

In July, my colleagues Alison Johnstone and Claudia Beamish met the Minister for Transport and Islands to request Scottish Government support for the creation of a competitive award for local authorities for an on-road segregated cycle lane project. Such an award, which would in effect become an award for exemplar projects, would encourage local authorities to build on the existing cycling network with on-road segregated cycle lanes, such as those found throughout the Netherlands and in Copenhagen. That would be a major incentive in helping to change travel culture and behaviour in our cities, and it could lead to residents calling for local authorities to take more action to create safe cycling networks in our urban areas.

It is important that we have good transport links to the network, particularly given the growth in cycle tourism in recent years. I was therefore delighted that, earlier this month, the ScotRail alliance announced that cycling access is being reinstated at Edinburgh Waverley station. This month, a new cycle lane and associated infrastructure will be located on the north ramp, including gated barriers at the foot of the ramp, road markings and new signage. I appeal to the ScotRail alliance to work with organisations such as Spokes and Sustrans in the design of the plans to ensure that cyclists’ needs are listened to and acted on.

Although the national cycle network offers cyclists a traffic-free environment for travel, cyclists still need to share the roads with motor vehicles. If we are to get more people cycling, we need to make our roads safer, less congested and healthier for the next generation. As I have said previously in the chamber, many people want to cycle but feel that the roads are not yet safe enough. The safer we make our roads, the more people will get out of their cars and on to their bikes.

I am pleased that the Scottish Government is taking action to encourage a cultural change on road safety. However, I highlight Cycle Law Scotland’s road share campaign for presumed liability. I recognise that we do not yet have a consensus in support of that in the chamber or in wider society, although I and other members of the cross-party group support it. However, we need to recognise that, in European nations that operate presumed liability, there is a strong correlation between that approach, higher levels of active travel and safer road use. We can all agree that further steps are necessary to build a culture of mutual respect on our roads.

Cycling Scotland’s work to increase practical cycle awareness for drivers of large vehicles through expanding its training sessions for lorry and bus drivers should be welcomed, and it is great that a pilot scheme is being rolled out in Edinburgh to give such drivers the opportunity to experience the issues that cyclists face on the road.

Looking to the future generation, I believe that every child in Scotland should have the opportunity to learn to ride a bike safely and confidently on our roads.

The national cycle network illustrates clearly that supporting walking and cycling is one of the best investments that any Government can make, as it delivers massive benefits for the nation’s health, the environment and the economy. I am sure that members across the chamber will agree with me that we all have a big part to play in supporting the network, and I look forward to working alongside colleagues and cycling groups to ensure that its benefits continue to be delivered now and well into the future.

As this is a popular debate, I would be grateful if members kept to four-minute speeches, please.

12:40  

I thank my colleague and co-convener of the cross-party group on cycling, Jim Eadie, for his motion to celebrate the national cycle network. I am pleased to continue to work with him and Alison Johnstone on our quest for more active travel and more positive outcomes for people across Scotland. I am also pleased to have been in contact with the minister on a number of issues.

The NCN, which is 20 years old this year, has brought significant value to the Scottish economy, our health and our environment. I take the opportunity to congratulate Sustrans Scotland, the communities across Scotland, the local authorities and the other bodies that have contributed to this far-reaching success.

As Jim Eadie highlighted, Sustrans estimates that the health benefits of walking and cycling on the network were worth £321 million last year. It is important to reinforce that point because, at a time when our national health service is under such strain, it is vital that we have preventative spending on health and that different departments break down the barriers between them and do not work in silos, to ensure that such issues are addressed before people become obese, have heart issues and so on.

The 3 per cent increase in everyday trips on the network for commuting, shopping and the school run shows that people will adapt to a more sustainable lifestyle if they have the ability to do so. In my region, South Lanarkshire Council has made considerable improvements to cycling provision through its local transport strategy, which runs to 2023. In rural areas, where people often depend on cars, extensions to the NCN can make a considerable impact. We should remember that not everyone in rural areas has access to, can afford, or chooses to have a car. In 2014, journeys on the network potentially saved 75,760 tonnes of CO2.

This work will make everyday cycling and walking a safer and much more attractive option. It would be fantastic if more children could cycle or walk to school; in fact, the recently completed route through the centre of Lesmahagow village in my region has made that wish a reality, and I commend South Lanarkshire Council for its dedicated work on increasing safety and creating cycle-parking facilities and better cycle lanes on busier roads.

The magnificence of Scotland’s geography means that the NCN does not cater only for purposeful journeys. With the ever-growing network and developments in mobile technology, cycling holidays and day trips can be planned with certainty and become an option for less experienced cyclists and walkers.

The opportunity for tourism in the sector must be harnessed and, with the tour of Britain having sped past the Parliament last week, I will highlight a number of cycling events. Last year, the tour o the Borders in my region brought an estimated £500,000 to the Scottish Borders. To generate the same kind of strong economic benefit across Scotland, we must ensure that funding is balanced so that it supports smaller events, too.

The opening of the Borders railway presents a fantastic opportunity for tourism, and we should seize the chance to integrate the rail line with the cycle network wherever possible. It is excellent that a number of stations on the line are well connected with the network, but the fact that the train to Tweedbank might not have enough spaces for bicycles is a real issue. I raised the matter with the previous transport minister, Keith Brown, nearly two years ago; I still think that it needs to be addressed, and I wonder whether the current minister will have another look at it.

Limited designated space on public transport can affect the planning of cycle trips, if people are not confident that they will be able to get on. It is especially limiting if people have to book in advance and cannot be spontaneous.

I must ask you to hurry along.

Twenty years on, the national cycle network provides access to parts of Scotland that otherwise would not often be visited. Its growth must be supported to continue the invaluable benefits and to aid active travel more broadly. I congratulate everyone in Scotland who has worked hard on the issue.

12:45  

I join other members in thanking Jim Eadie for bringing the debate to Parliament. I say to members that I mean no disrespect, but I will have to leave the chamber as soon as I have made my speech, because I am hosting an event this lunch time for youth volunteers from my constituency. Some of those young people have done their volunteering by cycling to do old folks’ messages for them. I am glad that I can contribute.

I want to talk especially about the two routes of the national cycle network that go through my constituency of Strathkelvin and Bearsden. Route 754 goes along the Forth and Clyde canal from Bowling to Edinburgh and takes in Westerton, Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch and Twechar. I often say that the canal is a thread that runs through my constituency, but the cycle network that runs alongside it could also be described in the same way.

It is important that we remember that, as both the previous speakers mentioned, although the cycle network is good for cycling, it also allows us to get out on our feet and do some walking, which is good for our health. The two parts of the national cycle network that go through my constituency are well walked by me and my dog, Rhona the Dalmatian.

The other route that goes through my constituency is route 755, which goes from Drymen to Glenboig. Part of that uses the old Strathkelvin railway, which goes through Lennoxtown and Milton of Campsie. One of the great things about the national cycle network, as demonstrated by the Strathkelvin railway path, is how it joins to other networks. The long-distance John Muir way, which was opened in 2004, uses part of the Strathkelvin railway path, so people can now go from Helensburgh, on one coast, all the way through to Dunbar, on the other.

The Strathkelvin railway path is also used by the Thomas Muir heritage trail, which is fairly local to my area. If I may take the time for an advertisement, this year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Muir, the father of Scottish democracy. On 23 September, I will hold a reception to mark that in the garden lobby of the Parliament and, on 3 October, there will be a march and rally outside Parliament.

In the few minutes that are left to me, I will pick up on the comments that Jim Eadie and Claudia Beamish made about the increase in cycling levels that has taken place, with 10 per cent of commutes now being done by bike in some areas, because of the advantage of having the national cycle network. I am sure that I have brought this example to Parliament’s attention before, but I will not miss this opportunity. In Bishopbriggs, through the work of ED’s Cycle Co-op, 20 per cent of our primary school children now cycle to school. Look what we can do when we have impetus and can use part of the cycle network, and think what we could do in the future.

I will leave one thought with the minister and check the Official Report later for his response. To increase the level further from 20 per cent, it has been suggested that Bishopbriggs could be designated a 20mph area. That is about making the area safe—obviously safe—for cyclists and walkers. However, through working with ED’s Cycle Co-op, I understand that the regulations for designating 20mph areas can be complicated to implement.

I thank Jim Eadie again for bringing the subject to Parliament and for allowing me to highlight some of the beautiful areas in my constituency.

12:49  

I thank Jim Eadie for giving us the opportunity to debate this subject, and I thank Jim and my other co-convener of the cross-party group on cycling, Claudia Beamish, for the efforts that they have made so far in getting this important issue the attention that it deserves.

I, too, congratulate all those who have been involved in the improvement and extension of our national cycle network: the Sustrans volunteers, those who are connected with other organisations and the local authorities. Their work really is making a difference.

I have seen improvements in Edinburgh and across my constituency, but there are still many opportunities that we can and should harness. Every time we dig up a road, we should see whether we can make an improvement for people who walk and people who cycle. Let us have a rolling programme targeted at dangerous or just plain annoying junctions, where walking and cycling are not prioritised.

Off-road and separated cycle lanes are vital to help people to feel and be safe. Let us look at a specific example here in Edinburgh. The first phase of the investment in the link between Edinburgh’s Meadows and the Innocent path cycleway is under way and is already making a difference. It is incredible to think that the national cycle network 1 used to involve cycling along a little narrow corridor, full of wheelie bins and bin bags, with railings where it would be necessary to dismount. That has been transformed by investment. A cyclist can now stay on their bike and get safely across the road. That started in March and it is not finished, but I have no doubt that it will encourage people to cycle and to feel that their children are safe doing so, too. I look forward to the work on the western side of the Meadows, which unfortunately will not begin until next year.

Many members campaigned about the utterly ridiculous situation whereby cyclists were banned from entering Waverley station. I am pleased to note that that is on track to being changed. However, we need cultural change so that we do not have to campaign against such wrong-headed thinking and decisions. The situation has been a frustrating waste of time. We want to connect up different types of transport and use our energy more positively.

Leith Walk improvements are in the pipeline, too, although they have been a long time coming for residents who live and commute there.

Identifying gaps and necessary improvements in our cycleways and walkways is best done by people who use the routes. Walking and cycling investment is exactly the sort of investment that should be decided by participatory budgeting. What would happen if we handed over the whole walking and cycling budget to a participatory budgeting exercise? I think that we would start to see exactly the sorts of improvements that people want in their neighbourhoods.

We should be ambitious. Scotland’s network is more than 4,000km long. Denmark’s population is similar in size to Scotland’s, but its network is more than 11,000km long and it covers a land area that is half that of Scotland’s. There will be differences between the networks, but I make the point that we should keep our heads up when planning our cycling infrastructure.

The national planning framework 3 includes the national cycling and walking network as a nationally significant development, which is a really positive move. It is the first time that the NPF has recognised distributed developments—ones that happen in lots of different places across the country as opposed to those that just involve a big piece of kit in one place. Such network developments benefit people across the country and should be considered nationally important. The central Scotland green network, the national digital fibre network and the electricity transmission network are other examples.

Although it is great that the walking and cycling network is in the NPF as policy, it is vital that walking and cycling improvements are pushed forward with funding attached. The Government makes clear funding commitments to roads for cars and lorries, so it should make a clear funding commitment for walkers and cyclists, too.

Draw to a close, please.

I will finish now. Will the minister confirm that a commitment to walking and cycling will play a much more significant part in the new infrastructure investment plan?

Mr McGrigor, I note that you have withdrawn your request to speak. Will you confirm that you no longer wish to speak?

I did not press my button.

Actually, you did, but we will carry on. I call John Lamont.

12:54  

I congratulate Jim Eadie on securing the debate and on his very good opening speech.

As we have heard, the national cycle network is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The network was founded in 1995, with a view to providing a national network of safe, attractive and high-quality cycle routes. Today, the NCN covers 14,000 miles of connected cycle paths and roads, of which 2,500 miles are here in Scotland, and 40 per cent of the Scottish population lives within half a mile of the network.

It is extremely important for Scotland and the health of our nation that the national cycle network promotes cycling and makes it more accessible. It is estimated that 2,500 deaths in Scotland every year can be attributed to low levels of activity. By providing safe spaces to get around by bike, the national cycle network encourages people to take an active journey to work or school.

Travelling by bike or on foot not only improves the health of those who do so but helps the health of the economy. People who travel on foot or by bike spend almost a third more in local shops than those who travel by car. When congestion in towns and cities is reduced, destinations can become more attractive to visitors and inward investments. The promotion of active travel in the workplace can also help to create a healthier and therefore more productive workforce.

As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the network, Britain’s favourite long-distance route and its favourite route of less than 30 miles were selected from a list of nominations. The Edinburgh to Newcastle route, which passes through Cockburnspath and Eyemouth in my constituency, was nominated for the long-distance category. Despite none of the Scottish entries winning, those routes show how fortunate we are here and what brilliant opportunities there are for cycling on paths in some of the most stunning scenery in all of Britain. As a keen cyclist, I know how much more enjoyable and accessible routes are if they are properly signposted. That goes for off-road cycle routes, too.

In 2014, the national cycle network hosted more than 120 million trips on foot or by bike, of which thousands of trips were taken throughout the Scottish Borders. As well as having numerous cycle routes as part of the network, the Borders has been host to some exciting cycling events. The Tesco Bank tour o the Borders took place in August, and stages 3 and 4 of the Aviva tour of Britain travelled through the Borders last week. The tour of Britain covered many miles in the Borders—it arrived at Newcastleton and finished stage 3 at Floors castle in Kelso. Stage 4 passed through Berwickshire, having travelled through some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland. Those two major events contributed to the local economy; indeed, Transform Scotland estimated that cycle tourism in Scotland is worth up to £239 million a year.

Despite the existence of the national cycle network, many people feel unsafe on the roads. Research carried out by Sustrans found that 56 per cent of people felt that cycling on roads in built-up areas was not safe and fewer than 20 per cent regularly did it. Some people have complained that, in places, the national cycle network is poorly signposted and not fit for purpose. Some parts have narrow lanes and poor surfaces. The network, local authorities and the Scottish Government should look at that.

Although 234 miles of traffic-free and on-road national cycle network routes were built or upgraded between December 2013 and December 2014, continued improvement of the national cycle network is needed to ensure that all cycle routes are suitable and safe for cyclists. Hopefully, the national cycle network will continue to grow and improve, thereby giving us in Scotland safer and increased enjoyment from cycling. I hope that this Parliament continues to promote cycling throughout Scotland.

12:58  

I, too, congratulate Jim Eadie on securing the debate. It is wonderful to celebrate 20 years of our national cycle network; making possible 120 million journeys on foot or by bike is an incredible achievement.

As other members have mentioned, our national cycle routes are an economic asset to the country, not only for the tourists who come to use them but for the rest of us, for days out and short trips. It is crucial that we acknowledge that massive tourism benefit, and it is good that the statistics that we have received from Sustrans and Transform Scotland are now on the record.

I highlight the health benefits of cycling and walking. Further, there is a big social justice benefit to be gained from promoting walking and cycling. They are the most affordable forms of transport. Our ambition in Scotland should be to ensure that everybody has access to high-quality routes close to their homes and that they can easily access the longer-distances routes on our national network. The access issue is a key point. Within communities, we need the incremental change that Alison Johnstone talked about, with better, safer routes for walking and cycling. Claudia Beamish highlighted the issue of the rural connections. If we look at the map of Scotland, we can see that we have had a progressive increase in dedicated and more continuous routes and better signposting, and that is a key thing to celebrate in relation to the national network.

I want to pick up on Jim Eadie’s point about getting the design right. The national network is fantastic, but we need to get all the connecting points right, too. I agree with Jim Eadie’s points about Waverley station. It is important that people who use routes inform their design and the access to Waverley station is a classic example of that.

I also want to mention in passing the need to ensure that we cater for both walkers and cyclists. Some of the design that we are seeing on our roads and pavements is less than optimal. There are issues and challenges in urban areas of my constituency, where there are new designations for both walkers and cyclists. We need to ensure that both walkers and cyclists have enough space. It is wrong to take space from pedestrians and give it to cyclists when the pavement is very narrow. As several members have mentioned, we need to ensure that we continue to increase the level of investment in walking and cycling. In particular, that means investing in dedicated, segregated routes. We also need better on-road routes for cyclists, which picks up the point that John Lamont made about safer access for all, which is crucial.

Briefly, on signage, many people are not aware of our cycle network and the national infrastructure that has been put in place. Journey planning is crucial. We need a more integrated approach to ensure that public transport—buses or trains—enables people to access the national cycle network. For walkers, buses are an easy option, whereas for cyclists we now have more local bike hire options, which feeds into the economic benefit of cycling. However, more can be done. I welcome Abellio’s new plans for the integration of cycling with the train network.

It is the 20th anniversary of the national cycle network, so let us use that as a big promotional opportunity. From my experience of taking trips to North Berwick, Stirling, Falkirk and Fife, I know that the national cycle network provides a liberating experience because it is a high-quality experience. We need to have that across the whole country.

I am very much looking forward to the new Borders railway network. I know that there are capacity issues, as Claudia Beamish mentioned, and those need to be addressed. From talking to Spokes members in Edinburgh, I know that many of them have a huge ambition to get down to the Borders; many of them are going to cycle all the way back up, while some of the less fit members will be getting the train down, cycling around the Borders, then catching the train back up. We should enable that sort of access for everyone. It is an environmental justice issue and a social justice issue. The network offers a massive health and economic benefit to the country.

Let us look forward to the next 20 years and hope that there will be equal celebration in 20 years’ time, because we will have so many more routes by then.

13:02  

I congratulate Jim Eadie on securing the debate and Sustrans on all its great work as we celebrate 20 years of the national cycle network.

As several speakers have reminded us, the network is for walking as well as cycling. Sustrans tells us that, out of 121 million trips a year, about 58 million are on foot. As many speakers have said, that is hugely beneficial for our health in the first instance. It strikes me that many of the public health community are now saying, “If you’re going to do one thing for your health, more than anything else it should be more physical activity.”

The climate change objectives have been highlighted and Sustrans’s figures on CO2 reductions as a result of the network have also been highlighted. There is reduced congestion, and the network creates more people-friendly cities in many cases and has many economic benefits. Therefore, as it contributes to a number of key outcomes in the national planning policy framework, I hope that the Government will continue to fund the network and—I hope—increase the funding.

As Jim Eadie pointed out, there are roughly 2,500 miles of the national cycle network in Scotland and many of those routes are on old local railway lines, canal footpaths and forest trails. Jim Eadie highlighted the great north Edinburgh network, a large part of which is in my constituency. I have been pleased to use that network extensively recently, particularly when cycling with my young grandchildren. One of the benefits of the network is that young children can be encouraged to cycle on it at an age when they cannot yet cycle on the roads. I am pleased to say that my five-year-old grandson, who has just started school, goes along the north Edinburgh network to school every day, either walking or on his bicycle.

There is an issue to do with etiquette on the network. It sometimes worries me that, with walkers and cyclists together, some cyclists are perhaps not quite as considerate as they should be when they pass groups of pedestrians, particularly when young children are involved. There is an issue there.

However, the network is clearly an incredibly positive development. I am most aware of that in cities, because there are major concerns about people cycling in such congested cities as Edinburgh. Given that, it is to the great credit of Edinburgh that one in 10 journeys to work there are already made by bike. I hope that that number will improve with the completion of the cycling developments on Leith Walk, for example. They have been delayed, but I am sure that they will mean a great improvement when they are completed.

As part of the 2015 20th anniversary celebrations, there was a national cycle network week at the end of June. A lot of community events were connected with that week. I think that Sustrans has highlighted that, as well. I note that its website offers inspiration for walking and cycling, and people can research on it cycle routes according to their interests and abilities. They can research routes for families, art trails, routes for nature lovers, urban adventures and challenge routes for those who want to push themselves physically while making the most of stunning scenery. That reminds us of all the social advantages of the cycling network as well as the health and climate change advantages and, of course, the economic advantages, which I referred to at the beginning of my speech. A Transform Scotland report estimated that mountain biking and leisure cycle tourism combined contribute between £236 million and £358 million per year to the Scottish economy, with a cumulative gross value added of £129 million.

The arguments in favour of cycling, walking and the network are therefore overwhelming. I urge the Scottish Government to look to support active travel and the further development of the network in order to further those many positive policy objectives.

13:07  

I, too, congratulate Jim Eadie on securing this debate to celebrate the national cycle network’s 20th anniversary.

The debate has been quite a consensual one about active travel generally and a celebration of walking and cycling. However, I do not want to miss out runners, who are the other category of people who also use the national cycle network. I am not the only person with an interest in running. Some people—John Lamont, for example—manage to run more than I do, although last night after the event at Our Dynamic Earth celebrating the 20th anniversary of the national cycle network, I was caught running by the chairman and chief executive of Sustrans. That is evidence of the fact that living an active lifestyle is important.

On the growth of the route, I think that we all welcome the network’s 2,500 miles, the extensions to it and—Alison Johnstone referred to this—its protection and promotion in the national planning framework and Scottish planning policy, which I was able to do as the appropriate minister to safeguard many routes. We have an aspiration to join the dots and make the connections, rather than come to a sudden halt at a difficult point.

I challenge all members to ensure that they, too, challenge local authorities, given that many of the interventions are local. Later this year, I will convene a summit with local authorities and other stakeholders, such as health boards, to calibrate all our policy interventions and funding decisions so that they support active travel and active lifestyles.

I very much welcome that initiative by the minister. The point about getting good-quality infrastructure across the country is absolutely crucial. In particular, we must ensure that local authorities have the knowledge, and testing that with people who will use those routes will be crucial.

I appreciate that point. In convening the summit, I want to impress on local authorities their responsibilities and the interventions that the Government can make. For example, on the perception that 20mph zones are too difficult to do, I commend the City of Edinburgh Council for its work in taking the issue forward. I have republished guidance to try to make things easier—I am sure that Fiona McLeod will appreciate that answer on the guidance when she checks the Official Report.

Apparently 120 million trips are taken every year on the national cycling network. That seems a phenomenally high figure, but the staff and volunteers at Sustrans and elsewhere who have made such a difference to the network are to be commended for it.

In January I led my first ministerial debate on active travel. I want to do the same again next year so that we can have a full debate on policy and funding for active travel. I made a commitment to build on the record high spend on active travel in the previous financial year and to exceed that amount in the current financial year—I want to put that on record.

I also want to put on record my agreement in principle to cross-party work on a further exemplar project, as described by Jim Eadie. I have explained the circumstances that could allow that to happen, but I confirm to Parliament that I entirely support the development of an exemplar project. The Leith Walk project is a good example of how we can achieve critical mass through making connections where people actually want to go.

For the reasons that we have all given relating to healthier and greener lifestyles, we need infrastructure and we need behaviour change. There is an issue with behaviour change and a need for a cultural shift on road safety. I am not convinced by the concept of presumed liability, but I am absolutely convinced that there is an issue with regard to how we share the carriageway and footway infrastructure in our country. We have much more to do on behaviour change.

With regard to infrastructure, funding from local government and our own funding interventions will have to be sustained to allow extensions and improvements to take place and the right connections to be made. One of the few remaining ring-fenced funds from the Scottish Government to local authorities is the safer streets fund, but there is a range of funding opportunities to support local and national extension of the infrastructure, and I want to promote many of those opportunities through the summit and as part of our on-going work.

I think that we all enjoyed the event at Our Dynamic Earth last night, at which we celebrated with volunteers the 20th anniversary of the national cycle network. I look forward to the completion of the further extension of route 78, which is an emerging route that will go through the Highlands and the Great Glen.

I have put cycling on the agenda in all policy areas. I think that members will welcome the fact that, only a few weeks ago, I met ministerial colleagues, including the environment and health ministers, and their teams to discuss the alignment of their policies to support the active travel agenda. That policy positioning is taking place at the very top of the Scottish Government.

Practical interventions are being made to change the way in which we conduct our business. Many members have welcomed Abellio ScotRail’s new approach to cycling. It is unlocking potential in existing stations, promoting bike hire schemes and looking at capacity to get the balance right. That work includes the Borders railway and other areas, with improvements such as refurbished and new stock. I am looking forward to those new trains.

We are also embedding the town centre first principle to show how accessible transport and active travel can work together to support all communities, and town centres in particular.

All of that is a celebration of active travel, but there is much more to do. I welcome the cross-party confidence in, celebration of and support for the national cycle network, which has transformed formerly unused routes, railway tracks and paths into something far more positive and vibrant. In celebrating that positivity, we can, I hope, get even more people walking, running and cycling, and enjoying healthier lifestyles, our environment and our beautiful country.

13:13 Meeting suspended.  

14:30 On resuming—