Tag: active travel

Cycle hire offer to NHS staff extended

Transport for Edinburgh has announced the release of an additional 250 four-month passes for Edinburgh Cycle Hire (Just Eat Bikes) for NHS staff

Developed in partnership with Sustrans Scotland and Edinburgh Cycle Hire operators Serco, the scheme has been made possible with funding through Sustrans’ Partnership Programme, supported by Transport Scotland.

Since the end of April 2020, 100 NHS workers have been benefiting from the first phase of the programme using free annual passes. These have supported NHS staff throughout the Lothian area, and provided a healthy way to travel for essential journeys and for work during the Covid-19 crisis.

Recognising the success of the 100 passes, and building upon the support demonstrated for the scheme through over-subscription to the first phase, a further 250 passes are being made available to NHS Lothian employees.

The new four-month Edinburgh Cycle Hire passes can be applied for by emailing a request to support@edinburchcyclehire.com using an NHS email address (@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk or @nhs.net).

The passes will provide workers with a code to load into the Edinburgh Cycle Hire App, allowing them free access to use both pedal and e-bikes up to 60 minutes per ride for the first two months from date of issue. The final two months of the four-month pass will revert to pedal bikes only up to 60 minutes per ride free. E-bike trips will then cost 10p per minute.

George Lowder, Chief Executive, Transport for Edinburgh said: “We are delighted to have secured a second tranche of funding from Scottish Government via Sustrans, to provide further support for up to 250 NHS Staff in Edinburgh, giving them four months free access to the scheme and then an opportunity to remain members of the scheme at less than half the price of an annual pass.”

Ross Miller, Senior Transport Integration Officer at Sustrans Scotland said: “After seeing such a positive response to the first phase of this programme, we are delighted to provide funding to support a further 250 NHS Lothian staff in making happier and healthier journey choices.

“These four-month passes, combined with reduced price membership renewal, offer a healthy and convenient transportation choice, and we hope that by giving more of our vital NHS staff the chance to access the scheme, more staff members will adopt changes in the way they choose to travel which will last beyond this pandemic.”

Alex Macdonald, General Manager of Just Eat Cycles, said: “We want to thank all NHS employees for their incredible efforts and the sacrifices they continue to make.

“Our network is proving to be a lifeline for many people during these unprecedented times with many essential workers using the bikes to travel to and from places of work. We hope these additional NHS Passes can go some way to support NHS employees during what is an incredibly challenging time.”

Pupils being driven to school at the highest recorded levels

Edinburgh: Cycling at highest recorded levels (was 4.5% in 2010, is 7.0% in 2019). Has more than doubled since the first survey in 2008, in which it was 3.3%

The percentage of pupils travelling to school by car reached its highest ever recorded level in 2019, according to new data released by Sustrans Scotland.

More than a quarter of pupils said they used private motorised transport to get to school each day, with 23.8% reporting they arrived by car – the highest level since the survey began in 2008.

And, despite remaining the most frequently reported mode of travel to school in Scotland, active travel fell to its lowest recorded level over the same period. Of the 47.8% of pupils who reported travelling actively to school, 41.0% walked, 4.1% cycled and 2.7% scootered or skated.

Cycling to school is at its highest recorded level, whereas walking to school is at its lowest recorded level.

The findings form part of the annual Hands Up Scotland Survey, an official statistic in Scotland. Funded by Transport Scotland, the survey was carried out in September 2019 by Sustrans Scotland in partnership with all 32 Scottish local authorities. 78.9% of all state schools in Scotland (excluding nurseries) took part in this year’s survey.

Bus use also continues to decline from 18.2% in 2010 to the lowest recorded level of 16.0% in 2019, whilst the percentage of pupils travelling to school by park and stride (driven part of the way and walk the rest) increased to a high of 10.2%.

The findings also reveal a difference in active travel between independent and state schools. 44.5% of pupils from independent schools are driven to school whereas 23.6% of state school pupils are driven.

Commenting on the findings Sustrans Scotland’s National Director John Lauder said: “We want to thank all the schools who took part in the 2019 Hands Up Scotland Survey.

“The report is an incredibly useful indicator of trends in how children travel to school. Helping schools, local authorities and partners identify what needs to be improved to help more children travel actively every day.

“What we have seen during lockdown, with fewer cars on the road, is that people will change their behaviour if they feel their streets are safer.

“Travel patterns will have inevitably changed as a result of lockdown. It is important we make it easier and safer for children, parents and teachers to travel in an active and sustainable way.

“Our streets cannot afford more congestion and air pollution and our children cannot afford more inactivity after months of homeschooling. Let’s bring back something better.

“We need to make it easier and safer for children, parents and teachers to travel in an active and sustainable way, once schools re-open in August.

“Only then will we be able to ensure that walking, cycling and scooting is seen as a viable alternative to the private car.”

Transport Convener: We’re responding to the city’s desire to walk, cycle and wheel

Transport and Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes writes of council plans to make walking, cycling and wheeling safer and easier during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond:

One positive aspect of these last few, trying months is the city’s clear desire to get walking and cycling.

Not only has our own analysis shown pedestrian and cyclist numbers rocketing, but since launching the interactive Commonplace map we’ve received thousands of ideas for making it easier and safer to get around the city by foot, bike or wheelchair.

It’s clear there’s work to do – and we’re responding. Every suggestion, from removing guardrails on narrow pavements to pedestrianising streets, to speed reduction or pop-up cycle lanes, is extremely valuable.

This process is a very complex one and our teams are working flat-out to assess and consider responses, as well as linking them to those actions already identified across the city.

From inception to delivery, each scheme’s timescales can vary significantly, and we must target the projects that deliver the greatest benefits. For this reason, we won’t be able to undertake every suggestion, but each one gives us an invaluable insight into the kind of city people want to see post-COVID and we’re taking this on board.

We’re already delivering initiatives at a more ambitious rate than any other Scottish local authority.

In the last week we have installed more than 5km of pop-up cycle lanes leading to Edinburgh’s two main hospitals, adding to some road closures to help people walk, cycle and wheel to their local greenspaces and amenities.

These changes follow engagement with communities, mobility and active travel groups and local councillors. They’ve had a great response so far. We’re continuing to listen to the people that use them, tweaking the designs where necessary.

As we begin to tentatively emerge from lockdown, we must get the city moving. Before long, businesses will begin reopening and this will have a real impact on the way we move around Edinburgh. We want cafes, bars and restaurants, shops and other services to thrive, once they’re able to reopen, while also protecting people’s safety as Scottish Government advice on physical distancing remains.

We’re already preparing for this. From this week we will begin implementing several, major interventions in the city centre to help create a safer environment, encouraging people to spend time on foot or bike as restrictions ease.

These include footway widening and the introduction of bus, cycle and taxi gates on East Princes Street and South St David Street, reducing traffic volumes and aiding cycling and public transport, and the partial closure of Waverley Bridge.

This kind of real, tangible change, supported by similar, forthcoming measures across the city’s local high streets, will help us to move to the next phase of eased restrictions.

Reintroducing parking enforcement next week is crucial if these measures are to have the desired effect. By minimising often dangerous obstructions from our streets, we will be able to create and maintain spaces for people. What’s more, encouraging turnover of parking spaces means a higher and more varied footfall on our shopping streets.

Much of the work we are undertaking is to create quick, temporary changes to help people travel safely as we adjust to these exceptional circumstances. Emphasising clean, sustainable transport and people-focused spaces, where fewer cars result in less air pollution, supports our long-term city goals of a carbon neutral future where air quality is improved and healthy, and where walking, cycling and wheeling is the norm. We will get through this together and, if we are to make the right decisions now, we can harness these positive outcomes as we emerge from this crisis.

Find out more about Spaces for People on the Council website.

Scottish lawyer calls for a change in legislation to protect cyclists

An Edinburgh lawyer is calling for the UK to adopt a similar approach to other European countries of presumed liability of drivers when cyclists are involved in a road accident.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic the government has been promoting cycling, not only for its health benefits during lockdown, but also as an alternative to public transport. Personal injury specialist at Thorntons, Michelle Adam, believes that UK roads aren’t set up to deal with an increase in cyclists, meaning there is a higher chance of an accident happening – and cyclists should be protected.

Michelle said: “If the government is serious about increasing the use of bikes, they need to invest in the correct infrastructure to keep cyclists safe – resurfacing roads and creating more designated cycle lanes. Without this, it’s inevitable there will be more accidents.

“At the moment in the UK when a cyclist is involved in an accident with a car or other vehicle, the cyclist needs to prove that the car driver is to blame for the accident. That can sometimes be difficult, particularly if a cyclist is very badly injured and there are no witnesses.

“Across most of Europe however, there is a different approach which is known as presumed liability. That means that a car driver will be liable if they collide with a cyclist. The only way to avoid responsibility is if the driver can prove that the crash was unforeseeable or out of their control. I believe this approach should be adopted in the UK.

“If a cyclist is involved in an accident with a car, they are much more likely to be seriously injured than the car driver. Motor vehicles are heavy pieces of equipment which are full of safety features to protect their passengers, which is not the case for someone on a bike.

“Cyclists should obviously obey the rules of the road and take care for their own safety but they ought not to have the burden of having to prove the other party is at fault. In our changed world, I believe now is the right time to change the law, raise awareness and make all road users safer.

“But for now, if the worst happens and you are knocked off your bike and suffer an injury, you might be entitled to compensation if you can prove the other party is at fault. If you have an accident, try to get names of any witnesses, details of the driver and the registration number of the vehicle involved. These will be useful evidence if you decide to pursue a personal injury claim.”

Pre-virus Walk to School rates plummet in Scotland

Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking, is calling for street improvements around schools ahead of them reopening to avoid gridlock and promote a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.   

It comes after new data reveals record lows in the number of children walking to school pre-lockdown.

The Hands Up survey – published today but conducted in September 2019 – shows that just 41 per cent of primary school aged children were walking to school before the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak – the LOWEST recorded level – whilst pupils being driven to school was at its HIGHEST recorded level since the survey began at 23.8 per cent.

Living Streets, the UK walking charity behind the biggest walk to school campaign, wants more local authorities to use available funding to implement measures to make walking to school more attractive, including 20mph limits, safer crossings and School Streets – which see cars banned from outside school gates at peak drop off and pick up times.

Stuart Hay, Director of Living Streets Scotland, said:  “These results are incredibly disappointing and shows that there is a lot of work to be done to make walking to school a viable option for families across Scotland. 

“We know from our work with schools across Scotland that families are put off walking to school by traffic, road danger and air pollution. By removing cars, we remove these barriers.

“When pupils start to return, it’s crucial that our roads aren’t gridlocked and our schools surrounded by dirty air. And by giving space to people – not cars – we can ensure families can physically distance at pick up and drop off.

“School Streets have been successfully implemented by many Scottish local authorities and we want to see others using the funding made available during the pandemic to follow their lead. We need to come out of this crisis stronger than before and we won’t do that by replacing it with crises around inactivity, air pollution and road danger.”

Living Streets Scotland runs WOW – the year-round walk to school challenge in 22 Scottish local authorities. On average, schools which take part in WOW see a 23 per cent increase in the number of children walking to school and a 30 per cent decrease in the number of cars driving up to the school gates.

hands-up-scotland-survey-2019_national-summary-report

Pedalling towards healthier lungs

  • A recent survey by Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Scotland found that almost 70% of Scots are looking to do more active travelling in a post covid-19 world.
  • Another study by Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation shows that 1 in 6 have noticed improvements to their lung health with the decrease in air pollution.  

The coronavirus outbreak has had unexpected effect of lowering air pollution levels across Scotland’s towns and cities. A recent survey by Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Scotland found that 1 in 7 (14%) people with a respiratory condition are reporting they have felt the benefit of cleaner air. 

As we look towards life after lockdown, Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Scotland are calling for the Scottish Government to make active travel and public transport options safe and accessible to ensure we continue to see the benefits of cleaner air. 

The recent announcement that Transport Scotland are increasing their Spaces for People fund to £30 million to support active travel infrastructure is extremely encouraging, given that almost 70% (69.4%) of Scots are looking to using more active methods of travel in a post-Covid world. However, without the continued progression of the Low Emission Zones in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow the impact will be limited. 

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: “It’s been very reassuring to see such high levels of support for active travel.

“As lockdown restrictions are lifted and we start to venture further from our homes, we hope that people will continue to walk and cycle wherever possible. Not only will it bring benefits to our physical health through exercise, but we will all benefit from the long-term benefits of reduced air pollution.”

Karen McGregor, Director of Sustrans Scotland, said: “Our recovery from the pandemic can be a catalyst for positive, long-lasting change in the way we live and move around.

“Cleaner modes of travel and fewer cars should be at the heart of our recovery plans. What we have seen during lockdown, with less cars on the road, is that people will change their behaviour if they feel their streets are safer.

“Failure to make is it easier and safer for people to travel more actively and sustainably will increase our car dependency, which is a major source of air pollution and greenhouse emissions in this country.” 

Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, said: “Walking and cycling brings huge benefits to our physical and mental wellbeing, while at the same time protecting our air quality, our climate and helping to manage demand on our public transport network.

“I have reallocated £30 million in order to put forward a package of support for our local authorities to implement temporary active travel measures. This is already helping to ensure that people can walk, wheel and cycle during this public health emergency whilst physically distancing and protecting them from traffic and it will continue to help as our recovery progresses.

“To improve air quality, to respond to the climate emergency and to protect public health I am committed to introducing Low Emission Zones in Scotland’s four largest cities as quickly as possible.

“Local authorities share this ambition and Scotland’s first LEZ in Glasgow has been in place since 2018. Reviews will be undertaken across 2020 and 2021 to determine the earliest date when LEZs could realistically be introduced using the powers of the Transport (Scotland) Act.”

Put your old bike to good use with Brake the Cycle

We want your broken, old or unwanted bikes for our Brake the Cycle scheme!

Usually the Brake the Cycle Scheme is a recycling project which takes old and unwanted bikes that are then repaired or serviced by offenders on Community Payback Orders. The bikes are then given away for free to community organisations, youth groups and schools.

At the moment supervisors from the team have been repairing then delivering bikes to people who can use them during the lockdown. So far the team have been able to help NHS and Council workers avoid using public transport to get to work, and donated bikes to vulnerable adults and children across the city, giving them a chance to go out exercise and help as well as improving their mental health.

If you have a bike you would like to donate please email the team and someone will collect your old bike for free.

By donating your unwanted or broken bike, you can help to reduce waste (and maybe make some room in your garden shed!).

You’ll also be helping others who could be in need during the lock down as well as  promoting healthier lifestyles and environmentally-friendly travel in Edinburgh.

Council cracks on with Spaces for People programme

Work to deliver a package of measures supporting walking, cycling and wheeling in Edinburgh is continuing apace, as more than 1,700 residents share their own suggestions for improvements.

The council has begun implementing two temporary segregated cycle lanes on Old Dalkeith Road and Crewe Road South, providing safer routes as traffic increases for essential workers travelling to the city’s main hospitals, the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Western General.

The next set of interventions will focus on supporting economic recovery, as and when businesses begin to reopen, in line with the Scottish Government’s phased approach to lifting lockdown.

Temporary changes will target the city centre and local high streets, helping people to visit these areas while maintaining physical distancing, without having to resort to private car use. We are aiming to introduce the first changes by the end of next week, which include:

  • The partial closure of Waverley Bridge at the junction with East Market Street, helping pedestrians and cyclists travel safely while meeting physical distancing requirements
  • Footway widening at junctions and a bus, cycle and taxi gate on North Bridge to improve pedestrian routes and aid cycling and public transport provision
  • Footway widening and a bus, cycle and taxi gate on East Princes Street and South St David Street

Each of these measures is currently undergoing an agreed five-day notification period with ward councillors, transport spokespeople, community councils and stakeholders including Living Streets, Spokes, the Edinburgh Access Panel and RNIB.

Feedback will help the development of final, detailed designs and will inform refinements as appropriate once measures are implemented. This was the case on Crewe Road South, where the council says they have worked to change cycle lanes from advisory to segregated in response to feedback received.

A dedicated team is now working through their remaining programme of measures, along with suggestions received, using an assessment framework of 16 scoring criteria. By applying weighted criteria, the council says it is making sure it prioritises improvements that will deliver the greatest overall benefits within the short timeframe available.

Transport and Environment Convener Lesley Macinnes said: “We’re working quickly to deliver an ambitious package of measures to help people continue to walk, cycle, wheel and use public transport as we navigate our way out of this unprecedented situation.

Of course, we want to get these interventions on the ground as quickly as possible and there’s a lot of work going on to deliver temporary changes within tight timescales. But we’re also involving stakeholders in that process, including active travel and equality groups, to get designs for local schemes right, which takes a little bit of time.

“It’s clear that there’s a lot of interest in and support for our plans, demonstrated by the many suggestions we’ve received via email and the Commonplace tool. I’d like to thank everyone who has had their say so far – our dedicated team will continue to work through these ideas, building on them where we can.

Transport and Environment Vice Convener Karen Doran said: “We’ve had a fantastic response to the measures we’ve already implemented across the city, which have made residents and their families feel safer strolling or cycling from their homes.

“Today we begin installing two segregated cycle lanes to help essential workers cycle safely to our main hospitals. Next up, we’ll be implementing significant changes in our key shopping streets to encourage people to spend time there on foot, bike or wheelchair as businesses begin to reopen.

“These interventions, paired with our Paths for Everyone campaign encouraging physical distancing on off-road paths, are essential to help encourage active travel as we return to a sense of normality.”

Dave Keane, Infrastructure Manager, Sustrans Scotland, added: “The City of Edinburgh Council has shown great ambition to make it easier for people to get around safely on foot, by bike or wheelchair as we transition out of lockdown.

“We hope people living in Edinburgh will engage with the Commonplace mapping tool – it’s really simple, clear and easy to give feedback. Most importantly, it will help the council get a clear picture of what people think of the temporary measures already put in place and where other interventions are needed most.”

The Commonplace tool, launched recently with Sustrans, lets people highlight barriers to safe physical distancing and suggest improvements on an interactive map. Since then we’ve received over 1,500 suggestions, which are in addition to around 200 suggestions already received via email. Feedback will be taken on board as much as possible – for example, measures proposed at East Princes Street and North Bridge directly respond to a number of concerns raised around narrow pavements and traffic volumes.

While we welcome every response, we won’t be able to deliver all the improvements suggested, with any work dependent on available funding, procurement of materials and the availability of contractors.

This week, the notification process begins on the next phase of city centre measures, which will be implemented during week commencing 15 June and include:

  • Widened footways and segregated cycleways on George IV Bridge to allow people to access shops, bars and restaurants safely
  • Widened footways and a segregated uphill cycleway on the Mound and Bank Street for access to local businesses
  • Reduced through traffic and widened pavements on South Bridge for better pedestrian access
  • Introduction of a short section of segregated cycleway on Forrest Road, leading towards George IV Bridge

From 15 June we will also be notifying stakeholders of plans for footway widening and servicing arrangements in local town centres. These include: Morningside, Bruntsfield, Tollcross, Gorgie/Dalry, Newington/Southside, Portobello, Corstorphine High Street and Queensferry High Street.

Aligning with future phases of the Scottish Government’s lifting of lockdown restrictions, later stages of the Spaces for People programme will support sustainable travel on key arterial routes and subsequently will focus on measures to make journeys to places of education as safe and sustainable as possible.

Several improvements are already in place across the city, with the first set of schemes aiming to facilitate safe and accessible routes to green spaces and local amenities. These have included partial road closures in Portobello, Warriston, Silverknowes and Leith and have been welcomed by communities, creating safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists of all ages and abilities.

Find out more about the Spaces for People programme and share your suggestions on the Council website.

Electric Cycle Company sees 80% rise in lockdown sales

Scotland’s largest specialist e-bike retailer experiences 80% rise in e-bike sales and 200% rise in service sales during Covid-19 Lockdown. Five new members of staff have been contracted and £1500 has been donated to North Edinburgh charities, through an online poll.

Sales of electric bikes (e-bikes) at the Electric Cycle Company (ECC), Scotland’s largest specialist e-bike retailer, based on Granton Road, have increased by at least 80% during the 10 weeks of Covid-19 Lockdown, as compared with the same period in 2019. 

With a sales to square foot ratio of more than £600 per square foot [Tesco is just over £900] in this period, ECC, may also have been the busiest bike retailer in Scotland. Service sales have also increased by as much as 200%; and five new members of staff have been contracted as a direct result.

Neill Hope, MD of the Electric Cycle Company, said: “Nobody could have foreseen Covid-19 occurring and the resulting demand for bikes.

“For obvious reasons, people have not wanted to use public transport during lockdown.  They have also been avoiding non-essential travel by car. The streets have been much quieter and folk are definitely feeling more confident about cycling on the roads with family for their limited daily exercise or to get to work or to the shops.”

“Our new customers are not only getting to grips with the many health and financial benefits of cycling for both commuting and exercise, but also quickly realising that e-bikes make the whole physical process even easier and more joyful than traditional cycling, despite the larger initial investment.  Edinburgh, with its many steep hills, is the perfect city for an electric bike.”

Since 23 March 2020 80% of bike sales at ECC have been to those buying their first e-bike, with the majority of e-bikes being sold in the £2000 – £3000 price bracket.

There has been an even split of male and female customers with an age range of between mid 20’s to the over 60’s.

However, there has been a marked increase in younger women, especially health workers from the NHS, using the UK Government’s Cycle To Work Scheme or the Scottish Government backed Energy Saving Trust eBike Loan scheme to help with their bike purchases.

Despite offering free bike servicing to essential frontline workers from the start of the Covid-19 Lockdown (with any required parts being sold at cost), ECC’s service sales have increased by as much as 200% on the same period last year; with a current waiting time on bike servicing of two weeks.

This far outweighs the regular spike in servicing sales in January and February, when clients are often referred to in house as the ‘New Year’s Resolution Customers’.

Realising that many people have been suffering significantly during the lockdown, the ECC team wanted to do their bit to help out.  Following a recent online poll through Facebook and Twitter, ECC have just donated £1500 to three local charities, giving back to a local community that has nurtured the business over their last ten years of operation.

Neill Hope added: “To assuage our guilt that the business was doing so well out of the most horrible situation, we wanted to give back to the North Edinburgh community with a charitable donation.

“Sharing £1500, Edinburgh Food Project, Cyrenians and Street Soccer Scotland were the three charities our customers voted for in an online poll. This is in addition to our continued annual support to Kids Love Clothes, Granton Youth and St Columba’s Hospice.”

This exponential increase in e-bike sales and bike servicing has led to five additional members of staff being given employment contracts at the ECC – two salespeople, an administrator and two bike mechanics.