17 December 2014
Still time to influence Scottish Budget
We’ve been hard at work making the case for increased spending on sustainable transport in the Scottish Budget. Our evidence to the Parliament’s transport committee is available here (see right-hand column).
Unfortunately, as our infographic shows (also available on right), sustainable transport spend has lost out to increased spending on roads and aviation over the past four years. According to the Government's own analysis only 5.7% of the transport budget will cut climate emissions, and we estimate that only 1.3% of the transport budget will improve public health.
Spokes, the Lothian cycle campaign, have been very active on the Budget in recent months, and are calling on people to press the Scottish Ministers to increase their spend on cycling.
http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2014/12/new-transport-minister-goes-skating/They are also calling on the Scottish Ministers to use some of the £213m windfall from UK Autumn Statement to be spent on active travel:
http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2014/12/quick-chance-for-more-cycle-cash/ We are very happy to support Spokes’ call to action, whether you would like to see more investment in active travel or indeed other forms of sustainable transport investment. The Scottish Budget won’t be finalised until February 2015 so there is still time to influence it.