Tag: transport

Edinburgh marks a year of Low Emission Zone (LEZ) enforcement

NHS Lothian, and Asthma + Lung UK have praised the benefits of the LEZ, following a year of enforcement.

Experts at the NHS and a leading charity have highlighted the ongoing impact of the LEZ enforcement on air quality and health. In addition, the new rules have incentivised active travel and greater use of public transport.

A LEZ was introduced in Edinburgh on 31 May 2022, along with LEZs in Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dundee, restricting the most polluting vehicles and benefiting everyone’s health. Edinburgh began enforcement alongside Aberdeen on June 1, 2024. Dundee began enforcement on May 30, 2024, and Glasgow on June 1, 2023.

With Clean Air Day (19 June) just a few weeks away too this one-year anniversary is a timely reminder of the importance of the LEZ here in Edinburgh and beyond.

In recent years air quality in Edinburgh has improved, with our monitoring data showing reduced pollution levels, and people getting ready for the LEZ may have contributed to this.

Over the last year, the average amount of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for non-compliant vehicles entering the zone has been decreasing steadily.

Between June 2024 and January 2025 alone the total number decreased by 56%. There is also evidence of lower numbers of second contraventions. The vast majority of vehicles entering the LEZ are compliant, over 95%. Around 3% of vehicles entering the LEZ are exempted classed.

The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) has also published a study indicating that active travel and public transport use increased within the LEZ during the first six months after LEZ enforcement.

The first annual report on LEZ operation is expected to be presented to the Transport and Environment Committee later this year, including air quality trends and how the scheme contributes to our carbon reduction targets, as well as operational matters such as the number of PCNs issued, costs of maintaining and operating the scheme, gross and net revenue and other key issues.

The Council is working with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) on data collection and analysis of the LEZ and will present a report in the Scottish Parliament that will help inform the national picture of LEZ impact.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson: “I’m proud that alongside Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glasgow we took the bold step of implementing and enforcing a LEZ. We’re sending a clear message that our major cities are united in pursuing a better future for all. Fundamentally, the LEZs are about making our cities healthier for everyone. 

“As Scotland’s capital city, we have a duty to lead on the response to the climate and nature emergencies which will define our country for generations to come. Multiple studies show that even low levels of pollution can have an impact on our health.

“Road traffic is one of the main sources of harmful emissions that are damaging people’s health and contributing to climate change, so we have a real responsibility to tackle this.

“The average decrease in PCNs here in Edinburgh show that people are getting used to the LEZ and modifying their habits accordingly. It’s also encouraging to see studies showing a positive shift towards greater use of active travel and public transport.

I look forward to seeing the annual report when it is considered by Committee.

“The LEZ is one important tool to help us achieve our ambitious climate goals, including net zero emissions by 2030.”

Flora Ogilvie, Consultant in Public Health, NHS Lothian said: “It’s great to know that the LEZ enforcement has been in place for a year, helping to improve air quality in the city and protect the health of our most vulnerable residents.

“Improving air quality and reducing traffic levels are also an important way of encouraging more people to travel by walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport.

“Travelling sustainably can help improve individual physical activity levels and mental wellbeing, as well as supporting better environmental health for the whole population and planet.”

Joseph Carter, Head of Asthma + Lung UK Scotland said: “We are pleased that Edinburgh along with Dundee and Aberdeen made the bold move a year ago to ban the most polluting cars from their city and it is a step in the right direction to help improve the air that we all breathe.

“With air pollution cutting short thousands of lives a year, we want to see our cities become far healthier places, where people can walk and cycle and not be forced to breathe in dirty air.

“With 1 in 5 people in Scotland developing a lung condition like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in their lifetime, for them, air pollution can trigger life-threatening asthma attacks and flare-ups.

“Children are more susceptible to air pollution as their lungs are still growing, and they also breathe faster than adults. As they grow, toxic air can stunt the growth of their lungs, making them less resilient into adulthood and placing them at greater risk of lung disease in the future.”

77% of all PCNs in the last year were served to light passenger vehicles (private cars) and 21% to light goods vehicles (panel vans) with the remaining 2% being divided among the other classes of vehicle. 62.4% of PCNs are paid within 14 days at the discounted rate.

The penalty charge structure for all of Scotland’s LEZs is set by the Scottish Government.

The city council publishes regular updates on PCN figures on their website.

Income from the LEZ will be used in the first instance to pay for the operation and maintenance of the scheme. Any surplus income will be contributed towards Council projects which contribute towards the wider goals of the LEZ, particularly improving air quality and climate change emission reduction.

All LEZ monitoring and evaluation information will be made available on our webpages.

Air pollution is associated with between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK.  The World Health Organization and the UK Government both recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental threat to our health.

Another key development is that the Low Emission Zone Support Fund has now resumed and is open to new applications. This is funded by Transport Scotland and administered by the Energy Saving Trust.

There are separate funds available for households, businesses and retrofitting vehicles.  All eligibility criteria and application details can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website

Speed limit cuts to be introduced across Edinburgh next month

From Monday June 9, the city council will begin implementing a series of speed reduction measures, from 40mph to 30mph, in locations across the city.

The new speed limit signs will be installed through June and July, beginning with Biggar Road. Once the new 30mph speed limit signs are in place, the new speed limits will be enforceable.

Motorists are being urged to look out for the new signage and respect the speed limit.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “Road safety is a key priority for us and I’m glad that we’re moving ahead with this important process. Whilst this has taken longer than we initially anticipated, I’m confident that these measures will make many of our roads across the city safer.

“The evidence is clear – lower speed limits make roads safer for everyone. A pedestrian or cyclist has twice the chance of surviving a collision at 30mph compared to 40mph. Any action that we can take to make sure all road users are safer is a positive step.”

You can view a map of the roads with new 30mph speed limits on our website.

The full list of streets and road where the city council is installing new signage and reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph is below:

  • Biggar Road
  • Calder Road
  • Frogston Brae
  • Glasgow Road (East section)
  • Glasgow Road (West section and Old Liston Road)
  • Gogar Station Road
  • Hawes Brae and Bankhead Road
  • Hillhouse Road
  • Lang Loan (section at the junction with Lasswade Road)
  • Lasswade Road
  • Milton Road, Milton Road East and Milton Link
  • Queensferry Road
  • Riccarton Mains Road
  • Sir Harry Lauder Road
  • Seafield Road
  • South Gyle Broadway
  • Straiton Road
  • West Approach Road
  • Wester Hailes Road

New dawn for rail as South Western services return to public hands

  • Watershed moment is the beginning of the end of 30 years of fragmentation, frustration and poor performance
  • Starting with SWR, publicly owned services will need to meet tough performance standards to be rebranded Great British Railways
  • Kicks off a ‘total reset’ of the railways to improve performance and win back public trust, boosting economic growth as part of the Plan for Change

A small piece of history has been made today (25th May) as South Western Railway (SWR) services become the first to transfer back into public control under the new legislation, ending almost 30 years of fragmentation and waste under privatisation.

Great British Railways won’t just be the name of the new nationally owned railway, it symbolises a complete reset that will mark the high standard of service and delivery the public should expect to receive.

Speaking from South Western Railway’s depot in Bournemouth, the Transport Secretary was clear that operators will have to earn the right to be called “Great British Railways”.

Starting with SWR, each operator will have to meet rigorous, bespoke performance standards on things like punctuality, cancellation and passenger experience, so we can rebuild a world class public service.

Two thirds of Britons have already expressed their support for public ownership, which will save the taxpayer up to £150 million a year in fees alone and ensure every penny can be spent for the benefit of passengers.

Public ownership is a vital first step in kickstarting the cultural reset needed to instil a sense of pride back into the railways, moving away from 14 siloed train operators, each with their own staff, incentives and competing commercial motivations. A new nationally owned body – Great British Railways – will manage track and train, with a sole focus of delivering for the public. As set out in the King’s Speech, we will introduce legislation to create Great British Railways this session.

By bringing track and train together Great British Railways will enable operations to run more seamlessly, bringing accountability and reliability back into the railways and in turn helping to reduce delays and cancellations. This will get more people using our trains to travel to work, education and for leisure – boosting both the national and regional economies as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said: “Today is a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers. Trains from Waterloo to Weymouth, Bournemouth and Exeter, will be run by the public, for the public.

“But I know that most users of the railway don’t spend much time thinking about who runs the trains – they just want them to work. That’s why operators will have to meet rigorous performance standards and earn the right to be called Great British Railways.

“We have a generational opportunity to restore national pride in our railways and I will not waste it.”

This follows the passing of the Public Ownership Act in November – one of the first major pieces of legislation to be delivered under the current Westminster Government – showing its commitment to putting an end to unreliable services and private profiteering at the expense of passengers.

All passenger services operating under contracts with the Department will return to public ownership by the end of 2027 and will eventually be integrated into Great British Railways. Services are being transferred after contracts reach the end of their minimum term, or where they can be ended early, ensuring taxpayers pay no additional costs for breaking contracts.

Lawrence Bowman, Managing Director of Southern Western Railway said: “I’m excited to join and lead the excellent team at South Western Railway, who come to work every day to deliver the best possible service for our customers, and moving into public ownership will make it easier for them to do so.

“My immediate priority is to work with colleagues to develop a plan for SWR, that will make the most of the new simpler industry processes to deliver improvements in reliability and an increase in capacity.

“Over the coming years I will focus on ensuring SWR moves into Great British Railways as a truly integrated industry-leading operation that delivers an excellent service to its passengers and the local communities we serve.”

Ben Plowden, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Today marks a turning point for Britain’s railways and it’s good to see the Government’s plans for reforming the railways continuing at pace.

“The creation of Great British Railways presents a once in a generation opportunity to change how the rail system works – structurally, financially and operationally – and put passengers and freight operators first.”

To commemorate this historic moment, the Secretary of State also unveiled a new coming soon logo on what will be the first publicly owned South Western Railway service to leave Waterloo at 06.14 today [Sunday 25 May], reiterating that our railways are coming back into the hands of the public.

Today [Sunday 25 May] digital screens at Waterloo will display the new ‘coming soon’ logo from 06.00 and a special Tannoy announcement celebrating the first publicly owned SWR service leaving the station. Displays at other SWR stations will also show the new ‘coming soon’ logo from today.

Scotland’s ScotRail service was re-nationalised on 1 April 2022.

Next stop: May half-term – train travel delivers over a £430m boost to local economies

This May half-term, families travelling by rail are set to contribute an estimated £191 million to the local area they depart from and over £240 million at their destination, boosting local microeconomies.

Those heading for seaside towns and villages could drive local spending of over £20 million across the entire May half-term.

Food and drink are the top spend in and around the departure station, with leisure passengers supporting local high streets and the hospitality industry when they travel.

Numbers of leisure travellers expected to jump by 9% in city destinations and leap by 1/3 in seaside towns during half-term week with rail passengers, giving a real boost to local economies.

This May half-term, when leisure travellers, families and friends opt to travel by rail, they will also be providing a significant economic boost to local communities across Great Britain. New data from Rail Delivery Group shows that rail travellers this May half-term will contribute an estimated £191 million to the local areas from which they depart and over £240 million at their destination.

When comparing the half-term week in May with surrounding weeks outside, numbers of leisure travellers are expected to jump by 9% in city destinations and increase by 1/3 in seaside towns with rail passengers, giving a real boost to local businesses.

Whether families are spending more time exploring new places, enjoying leisurely meals, or visiting seaside attractions during their holidays, every journey made during this half-term will contribute to local economies.

Just over half (58%) of all leisure travellers spend money in and around the departure station and the most common location to spend money is on the local high street (40% of leisure travellers) followed by inside the station (16%).

The data also found that passengers heading to seaside towns and villages are the most likely to spend money in and around their departure station (65%), followed by people travelling to non-coastal towns and villages (60%) and cities (58%) and with travellers to rural areas the least likely (49%).

Those families heading to the seaside are expected to make an even larger impact with an average spend of £34 in and around their departure station and £44 at their destination. This means that those travellers visiting seaside towns and villages could be contributing over £20 million throughout the entire half-term to their local high streets, independent businesses and beyond. Whether grabbing an ice cream, buying a book or enjoying a fresh batch of fish & chips, every journey will benefit the local economies.

Beyond the economic boost, choosing rail this May half-term has a real environmental impact. On average, a single train journey emits nearly five times less carbon emissions than the same trip by car—equivalent to saving as much carbon as boiling a kettle 455 times.

And compared with flying, domestic rail travel in Britain is up to 13 times greener. By choosing the train, half-term travellers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while also supporting local communities across the country.

Jacqueline Starr, Executive Chair & Chief Executive Officer at Rail Delivery Group said: “May half-term is a great time for families to explore many wonderful towns and attractions across Britain.

“Our data shows that by choosing sustainable rail journeys, passengers not only reduce their carbon footprint but also play a vital role in supporting local communities.

“Whether it’s a seaside escape, exploring somewhere new, or visiting family, this half-term every trip is more than a journey; it’s a chance to support local high streets, independent businesses and further drive economic growth across the country.”

City Mobility Plan: Councillors agree ten-year prioritisation programme

An ‘ambitious’ prioritisation programme for projects under the City Mobility Plan (CMP), over the next decade, has been agreed by city councillors.

This programme effectively manages the resources we have, to continue to deliver on the city council’s CMP objectives to:

  • Reduce the volume of traffic going through the city.
  • Improve how we move around the city, with more options for sustainable travel, including prioritising public transport.
  • Provide safer conditions for walking, wheeling and cycling.
  • Reduce harmful emissions.
  • Provide better access to local facilities like shops, schools and outdoor spaces.
  • Improve community and public spaces.

The council says it has engaged extensively on the CMP and its objectives over the years with a range of stakeholders.

This reports also outlines the future decision-making process, with an annual update report covering any proposed changes.

Prioritisation was scored against 15 separate criteria points across three key areas: Objectives, Deliverability and Financial. Some examples include impact on road safety, public transport, inequality, and capital raising challenges.

Over 70 projects are set to be taken forward, including:

  • Walking, wheeling and cycling connection from the Meadows to the Union Canal, including better public space around the King’s Theatre.
  • Public transport and active travel route between West Shore Road and Waterfront Broadway, complementing the Granton redevelopment.
  • Major city centre projects, including a trial to reduce vehicle traffic on the Lawnmarket, Cowgate improvements, Meadows to George Street walking and cycling upgrade, and the transformation of George Street.

Over 50 projects are recommended to be paused, the vast majority of which are already on hold or not started. There are also around five projects which are set to be paused for this financial year only. Again, these are all either on hold or not started.

The full list of projects and their statuses can be found in the report on the city council’s website.

The report was approved with amendments from the Administration and the SNP group, along with an addendum from the Green group.

Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve agreed this bold programme for our city. Prioritisation allows us to work smarter with the resources we have available – making sure we have a clear and achievable path to achieving our objectives.

“This programme follows the successes of major infrastructure projects such as Trams to Newhaven and active travel projects including the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL), Roseburn to Union Canal and Leith Connections.

“This is an extensive piece of work which allows the City Mobility Plan to be agile, and able to adapt in the future as necessary.

“However, one key element in this conversation is the fact that we remain dependent on external funding for many projects, particularly from the Scottish Government and by extension Transport Scotland.

“Complex projects which take years to plan and complete but which are subject to annual external funding decisions makes this situation inherently difficult, we need commitment and stability from the Scottish Government if we’re to deliver the changes which our city needs and deserves.

“We’ll now take forward these projects which will keep Edinburgh moving and make our city a safer, more sustainable and accessible place for all.”

Living Streets Edinburgh calls (again) for more investment in everyday walking

LIVING Streets Edinburgh wrote to city councillors prior to the meeting. The campaigners said: “We’re surprised, and very disappointed, to see no mention of some key initiatives which we were able to get included in the CMP delivery plan.

“Especially disappointing after the committee decided to freeze footway maintenance while increasing spending on roads, only last month.

“We’ve therefore sent councillors this message:

Dear Councillor

I’m writing in connection with the report on City Mobility Plan priorities, Item 7.5 on the TEC agenda for 22 May bit.ly/43ktlep  The recommendations do not adequately reflect the CMP’s ambition to effect “a transformational change in walking and wheeling in Edinburgh”.

Over two years ago, two new initiatives were introduced into the Active Travel component of the City Mobility Plan: ‘Action for Better Crossings” (ABC) and the “Edinburgh Accessible Streets Initiative” EASI). These programmes (both proposed by us) finally offered the prospect of a strategic, rather than piecemeal, approach to addressing some of the most fundamental problems with getting around the city as a pedestrian – for example:

  • the time that you have to wait for the green man at traffic lights,
  • the thousands of missing dropped kerbs on pavements,
  • narrow footways, 
  • pavement clutter, etc.

As we understand it, effectively nothing has been done yet to implement either initiative as a coherent programme. We had hoped that they would form a key part of this report. However, there is no mention whatsoever in the report of either ABC or EASI, despite Council having confirmed them as at the heart of CMP policy only last year (see attached).

Instead, some elements of ABC and EASI are simply noted as part of the ‘rolling programme’ in Appendix 4b. Paragraph 4.14 of the report states an expectation that these will be funded at “an overall level roughly equal to recent overall investment”. This isn’t good enough: there is no indication of how much money is budgeted for these schemes; certainly there has been no systematic investment at all in recent years in widening footways. Many of the other aspects like the pedestrian crossing programme and the crucial school streets reviews have huge backlogs owing to lack of resourcing.

These vital programmes need to be considered alongside, and on the same level playing field, as the active travel and public transport listed in Appendix 1. 

Councillors should be able to consider whether investment in school streets, road safety, ABC or EASI is more or less worthy than these projects, whether they be George Street, Hawthornvale-Salamander Street, the Lindsey Bridge or Dalry 20 Minute Neighbourhood.

Otherwise the opportunity to consider where best to invest both staff time and capital funding is lost and a ‘silo’ approach is entrenched.

We also have serious concerns with the overly-complex methodology for assessing projects in Appendix 1. It gives no weighting to walking and wheeling (“top of the travel hierarchy”) and doesn’t sufficiently value schemes relatively modest but important to pedestrians such as Calton Road and the Causey.

These projects fail to score highly enough only because work on them has already been “paused’ for years.

However, the fundamental weakness of the report is to take too narrow an approach to evaluating a limited set of projects. We would therefore like to see the report deferred perhaps for two cycles, and a new report brought forward with a more strategic approach to future investment, including the programmes mentioned above.

David Hunter – Convener

Council commits over £30 million to tackle Edinburgh’s broken roads

Councillors have agreed to take forward an ‘ambitious suite’ of infrastructure and road safety works in the coming year, worth over £30m.

The Roads and Infrastructure Investment – Capital Delivery Priorities for 2025/26 spreads the capital budget of £25.686m across six different work streams.

Carriageways and footways will receive £18.161m and focus on repairing roads and pavements. Street lighting and traffic signals have £1.220m, which will be used to maintain and improve this network.

Road structures take £1.545m and focusses on road bridges, foot bridges, underpasses, tunnels and gantries. Road operations will get £2.460m and encompasses drainage repairs, bus stop maintenance and surface enhancement. Other asset management and miscellaneous spending amounts to £2.3m.

The additional £12.5m of funding agreed in February’s budget has been integrated into the programme to improve paths, pavements and road conditions.

An extra £12.5m of funding was also agreed last year, with a record 460,000m2 of carriageways and 52,000m2 of footways receiving treatment in that period. The Council’s Road Condition Indicator (RCI), which signifies the percentage of roads that should be considered for investment, also saw a significant improvement in 2024/25.

The council will look to build on these results in the coming year by undertaking a combination of carriageway strengthening, carriageway resurfacing, carriageway surface treatment, footway asphalt, footway flags and footway slurry sealing.

The report also outlines Edinburgh’s Street Lighting Programme and looks further ahead to their Setted Street Priorities in the next six financial years with Frederick Street, Victoria Street and the Shore all featuring for refurbishment.

Edinburgh’s Road Safety Delivery Plan 2025/26 allocates over £6m across the service. As part of this, the Road Safety team will address concerns around the Dalmahoy Junction and prioritise infrastructure improvements for safe school travel, including additional pedestrian crossings.

There will also be provision for Accident Investigation and Prevention (AIP), speed reduction measures and new 30mph and 20mph speed limit reductions over this and the forthcoming year. A full breakdown can be found in Appendix 2 of the report. Road safety progress will be reported to Committee in October, following elected member workshops to drive forward existing priority projects.

These allocations are driven by the council’s main priorities in the year ahead to promote road safety, study road accidents, review our vacant school crossing sites, take preventative measures and offer information, advice and practical training to road users.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m really pleased that these two ambitious and wide-reaching reports have been agreed.

“Our residents have made it abundantly clear that they want and expect continued investment in our roads network. Road safety also goes hand in hand with road condition and investment, with roads that are better maintained equalling safer roads for our children and young people. This is what I’m committed to delivering.

“From carriageway strengthening in Corstorphine and surface treatment in Seafield, to street lighting in Leith and road safety education in Ratho, we’re focussed on fulfilling our commitments and getting to work for the people of Edinburgh.”

A list of definitions for treatment specifications mentioned above in the Roads and Infrastructure Investment – Capital Delivery Priorities for 2025/26 report are below:

Carriageway Strengthening: A substantial treatment with a minimum depth of 100mm. This includes removal of the surfacing and base course of the carriageway. Deeper excavations may be required depending on existing condition. Deeper excavations are required a bus stops.

Carriageway Resurfacing: This treatment removes the surface course only. The depth of treatment is generally 40-50mm.

Carriageway Surface Treatment: A preventative maintenance treatment. A thin treatment that is designed to slow deterioration of the carriageway. It is used primarily on carriageways that are starting to deteriorate. CEC uses two surface treatments: Surface Dressing and Micro Asphalt.

Footway Asphalt: Break out of the existing asphalt footway. Depth will be dependent on existing condition. Kerbs are generally lifted and re-set as part of this treatment.

Footway Flags: Break out of the existing footway with flags (slabs) being installed. Generally, pre-cast concrete flags are used, however, the following material is specified in the World Heritage Site: Old Town: Caithness Stone Flags New Town: Yorkstone Flags

Footway Surface Treatment: A preventative maintenance treatment. A thin treatment that is designed to slow deterioration of the footway.

Roads and Infrastructure Investment Capital Delivery Priorities for 202526Download

Two-way traffic returns to North Bridge tomorrow

Northbound traffic will return to North Bridge from tomorrow (Friday 28 March) at 10am.

The northbound closure in mid-February has allowed for essential resurfacing works to be carried out on both the southbound approach to the bridge (both lanes outside Waverley Gate toward Princes Street) and the southbound departure of the bridge (both lanes from the entrance to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on North Bridge to the junction at High Street).

Work had been due to finish next week but the project team has completed the resurfacing ahead of schedule.

The wider work on the Category A Listed Structure in the heart of the city centre, has included structural steelwork repairs, installing cathodic protection and structural health monitoring systems to the reinforced concrete deck and fitting permanent platforms to improve access provisions for future inspection and minor maintenance. These are just a few of the host of other improvements.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to complete these works slightly ahead of schedule.

“I appreciate that this temporary closure will have been frustrating for our residents and businesses, and I want to thank them once again for their patience.   

“We’re now in the final phase of the project and, while I acknowledge that it’s taken longer than we first anticipated, we’re preserving this majestic and hugely complex structure for future generations, and we owe it to them to make sure the job is completed to a high standard.”

Starmer orders England’s councils to tackle ‘pothole plague’

  • £1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
  • for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
  • local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
    • UK government also announces £4.8 billion for 25/26 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3

The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash. 

From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500m – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year. 

But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125m in total) withheld.

Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/6 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.

This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.  

It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers. 

This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs.

“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

“Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.

“British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”

The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.

“The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost. 

“Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.”

To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.

They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse. 

By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal. 

To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.  

Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said:  “Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes.

“At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.” 

The £4.8bn for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.

The £4.8bn includes a record £1.3bn investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8bn for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3bn for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.  

Since entering office, the UK government has approved over £200m for the A47 Thickthorn Junction, and £290m for M3 Junction 9 plus £90m for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580m for schemes to get Britain moving.

Taxi of Mum and Dad: Scottish parents driving their young adult kids 135 times per year!

  • New research from Auto Trader reveals 57% of Scottish young adults still rely on their parents for transportation
  • Scottish parents are making an average of 2.6 journeys per week, covering 25.9 miles
  • Rising costs are a key reason holding young adults back from learning to drive

Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace, spoke to 2,000 parents of children aged 18 and over, to uncover how often they’re providing transportation and the impact it has on their day to day lives.

Over half (57%) of Scottish parents surveyed said they provide transportation for their adult children, with 7% being asked on a weekly basis. 

The study revealed that Scottish parents are providing transportation an average of 2.6 times per week which works out at 135 trips per year. The average weekly mileage for parents transporting their adult children was 25.9 or 1,346 miles a year. 

When asked why their children were reliant on them for transport, cost came out as a major factor. 38% of Scottish parents surveyed said the cost of owning and maintaining a car was a key reason their child didn’t have a licence.

For Scottish parents, all these extra journeys can come with their own frustrations. Having to stay up later came up as a main concern with 19% citing this. Followed by it disrupting their schedule (19%) and traffic stress (16%).

Over a quarter (26%) of Scottish parents said they have had to change or cancel their own plans due to transporting their children. However, despite all this, parents don’t seem to mind. 82% of those surveyed said providing regular transportation to their children has little to no impact on their daily lives.

Many even enjoy the extra time spent together, with meaningful conversations (32%) and getting to hear about their children’s day (26%) listed as the things they enjoy most about these journeys.

Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto Trader, comments: “According to our research, the taxi of Mum and Dad remains a permanent fixture on UK roads, and doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon, especially as the cost of driving lessons remain elevated for some.

“But despite this and parents clocking up some impressive mileage, it’s great to hear that they don’t mind providing transportation help, enjoying the extra time spent with their children.”

For those who don’t want to rely on their parents for transportation, Auto Trader have shared some ways you can save money as a new driver.

Four Tips for Saving Money as a New Driver

1)     Choose the right car – The car you drive can have a big impact on your insurance costs, as well as ongoing maintenance. Consider purchasing a cheap used car, of which there is a large choice currently available on the market. Cars with smaller engines, for example, also tend to be cheaper to insure and run.

2)     Add an experienced driver to your insurance – While insurance fees will always be higher for new drivers, one way to bring your costs down is by adding a more experienced driver, like a parent, to your policy.

3)     Consider telematics insurance – Telematics, or black box insurance, is another increasingly popular option. By installing a tracker to your car, you can prove to your insurance provider that you are a safe and responsible driver, which can bring financial savings.

4)     Explore leasing as an option – If you’ve managed to build up a good credit profile, leasing could offer a more affordable route to driving. You just need to decide how long you want the car, how many miles you expect to drive each year and how much money you want to pay upfront as your initial payment amount.

You will only pay the monthly payments which should be within your budget so that you can drive a new car. You will also get road tax included in your lease, and you’ll be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty for 3 years from the date of registration.

For more information about the benefits of car leasing and to explore the latest deals, visit https://www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/leasing

Investment in landmark cycle routes delivering record share of journeys by bike in Scotland

— Record proportion of journeys being made by bike on Edinburgh’s new City Centre route and Glasgow’s South City Way —

— Over 1,700 more people cycling on Glasgow’s South City Way in two-day survey period in September 2024 vs 2023, a 46% annual increase —

— Edinburgh’s City Centre West to East Link sees additional 1,000 people cycling in two-day survey period in January 2025 vs 2024, an 83% annual increase —

— Evidence of wider impact of South City Way, with growth in cycling on nearby streets

New traffic data collated by Cycling Scotland, Scotland’s national cycling charity, has revealed the growing success of two new landmark cycle routes in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and their impact in supporting more people to travel by bike.

Over a 48-hour period in September 2024, traffic surveys recorded 5,457 bikes on the South City Way cycle route on Victoria Road in the south of Glasgow. This was out of a total of 36,417 travel methods recorded, meaning that 15% of people cycled their journey – a new record cycling modal share for an urban street in Scotland.

Overall, 1,718 more bike journeys were recorded on the South City Way over the two-day survey period in September 2024, compared to the same period in September 2023. This is a 46% year-on-year growth in the number of people cycling along the route.

Illustrating the wider impact of the route, cycling was recorded as accounting for 4.3% of journeys on nearby Nithsdale Road, which has no safe cycle lanes, but which connects the nearby area of Pollokshields to the South City Way.

The number of people cycling on Nithsdale Road increased by 45% from September 2023 to September 2024, with nearby Allison Street also recording a 22% increase in cycling over the same period.

Edinburgh’s City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) – which connects Roseburn to the city centre – recorded a cycling modal share of 8.3% in September 2024, just nine months after it was completed.

A 48-hour traffic survey conducted in January 2025 on the CCWEL recorded a total of 2,199 people cycling on the West Coates section – 1,000 more bike journeys compared to the same two-day period in January 2024, shortly after construction of the route. This is a 83% year-on-year growth in the number of people cycling along this route.

Glasgow’s South City Way is one of the most ambitious urban cycle routes in the country, showcasing what investment in a good quality network of safe cycling routes can achieve. Running for 3km, the route’s fully separated, on-street cycle lanes provide a high-quality, direct link between communities in Glasgow’s Southside and the city centre.

The route was developed by Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, with cross-party support and funding from Sustrans’ Places for Everyone Programme. Glasgow City Council continues to expand it further, with new connections planned through development of the citywide network of active travel routes.

Officially opened in early 2024, Edinburgh’s 4km City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) provides a high-quality west-east cycling route connecting Roseburn in the city’s West End to Picardy Place, via Haymarket Rail Station.

The project included improved road crossings, footways, street surfacing and greening improvements along the route, and was delivered by City of Edinburgh Council, with funding from Transport Scotland through Sustrans’ Places For Everyone programme, alongside additional funding from the Scottish Government and the Council’s transport budget.

At Picardy Place, the CCWEL now connects to the 2km Leith Walk cycle route, which saw a total of 580,000 cycle journeys in 2024 – a 40% increase on the number of cycle journeys recorded in 2023.

Cycling Scotland organises traffic surveys across Scotland to monitor changes in travel behaviour, working in partnership with all 32 local authorities at over 100 locations. Conducted biannually in May and September each year, these nationwide traffic surveys help to track changes in modal share, highlighting how new high-quality cycle routes such as this are supporting more people to make sustainable journeys.

Annalise, a commuter who cycles with her son to school along Glasgow’s South City Way several times a week, shared her thoughts on the route: “It’s brilliant to have this and it makes such a difference.

“I’ve lived in other parts of the city that don’t have anything like this, and I didn’t cycle as much as I do now. We cycle together to school a few days a week, and I then use the route the rest of the way to get to work in the centre.

“It saves me so much time.”

Julie, who uses the CCWEL to cycle to work in Edinburgh city centre said: “This is a route I take every day. It makes a huge difference in terms of how safe you feel.

“The biggest difference I’ve noticed are the different types of people on the road as well as regular commuters. So many school kids using it and people with cargo bikes. It’s joyful to see more people using their bikes.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop MSP, said: “I’m pleased to welcome this latest evidence from Cycling Scotland.

“It confirms what cities around the world and here in Scotland already know – where you create a safer environment for cycling through quality infrastructure and support to use it, you see more people cycling.

“In turn, this means more people living healthier lives, saving money, leaving their car at home and reducing their emissions.

“To support the continued ambitions and leadership of our towns and cities – and to make walking, wheeling and cycling easier for shorter everyday journeys, in 2025-26 the Scottish Government will invest £188 million to make it even easier for people to choose sustainable active travel.”

Councillor Angus Millar, Convener for Transport and Climate at Glasgow City Council said: “The continued growth in the number of people using the South City Way demonstrates that when we build safe, segregated and accessible active travel infrastructure, Glaswegians will come and make use of it.

“It’s clear that rebalancing our roads by adding active travel infrastructure helps people feel more at ease when cycling and leads to a roads network that’s fairer for everyone. We know that many people only feel comfortable choosing the bike for everyday journeys where they have confidence that they can make use of safe, segregated cycle infrastructure for most or all of their route.

“With the recent completion of the final phase of the South City Way to Candleriggs in the city centre and ongoing work to extend the active travel network with the Connecting Battlefield project, the success of this key corridor is a great blueprint for Glasgow as we work to deliver our plans for a comprehensive City Network of segregated cycle infrastructure to connect communities across the city.”

Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, Transport and Environment Convener at City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Here in Edinburgh, it’s really encouraging to see these new figures which reflect the increased popularity and patronage of the CCWEL since its opening last year.

“Equally, the increase in cycle journeys at the junction of Picardy Place and Leith Walk is very welcome news. Providing quality active travel infrastructure across our city remains a key priority and I’m determined that this will continue.

“It’s clear that by providing these amenities which allow active travel in a safe, simple and integrated way we’ll see an uptake in use. In order to fulfil our climate objectives and goals for mobility in the city, we have a responsibility to our residents and visitors to maintain, improve and expand this infrastructure.

“Indeed, just a few months ago we saw the opening of the Roseburn to Union Canal route and with ongoing projects like Leith Connections and Meadows to George Street I’m really optimistic looking forward.”

Keith Irving, Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland, said: “This is yet more evidence that when Scotland builds high quality cycling infrastructure, it gets more people cycling.

“Given that cycling journeys typically account for around 2% of traffic on urban streets, the fact we are now seeing four to seven times that number of journeys being cycled on these routes – together with the huge growth in cycling numbers – shows just what can be achieved when Scotland invests in safe cycling routes.

“Road safety is the single biggest barrier to more people cycling, and the strong success of these landmark routes demonstrates clearly that investing in well-connected, dedicated cycling lanes is having an impact: helping more people to travel safely and affordably, benefiting our health, reducing harmful pollution and our impact on the climate.

“We need more safe cycling routes just like these, to bring the benefits to more people across Scotland.”

Further data on cycle rates in Scotland can be found on the Cycling Open Data Portal.

A full breakdown of the data, with supporting data visualisations, can be found on the Cycling Scotland website.