Scotland's slow cycling revolution

Despite the growing network of dedicated paths, bike loan schemes and the obvious health benefits, Scotland is reluctant to embrace life on two wheels. Alastair Dalton investigates what is being done to tempt us

• The creation of official cycle routes, fully surfaced and with signposts, such as along the Innocent Railway in Edinburgh, have encouraged more people to get on their bikes. Picture: Jayne Emsley

HIS journey to work used to involve battling the rush hour traffic and inhaling fumes on one of Edinburgh's busiest commuter routes.

But when Dominic Hines spotted a direction sign to a cycle path, his daily ordeal became transformed into a tranquil pedal along the Union canal.

The Oxgangs Primary School teacher is one of thousands of cyclists whose lives have been significantly changed thanks to the National Cycle Network, which will be celebrating its 15th anniversary in the next fortnight.

The network, which was launched in 1995 with 43.5 million of Lottery cash, now extends 2,100 miles across Scotland, over a combination of off-road paths such as former railway lines and quieter roads. It was just 1,260 miles ten years ago.

Hines, who cycles two miles to the school from his home in Shandon, said: "Using Colinton Road was horrible, having to weave through two lanes of vehicles at traffic lights. The stench of exhausts as they pulled away was vile."

Switching to the canal, his commute has been further improved by the towpath being fully surfaced since it became part of route 75 of the National Cycle Network. He also passes about 15 other cyclists each day, against perhaps three a decade ago.

Hines said: "The path used to be a quagmire, which was horrendous. I regularly had to replace my bike chain because of all the grit and filth.

"It's now a much more relaxing experience. I can think about what I'm going to do that day, see wildlife, and even stop and chat to fellow cyclists. It's fantastic."

However, despite Hines's experience, Scotland's cycle commuting rates have remained stubbornly low since the network was established.

Scottish Government figures published this week showed the proportion of people cycling increased by just 0.1 per cent last year to 2.4 per cent, against 1.7 per cent in 1999.

Overall, only about 1-2 per cent of Scots cycle, although Edinburgh leads the way at 6 per cent, with 4 per cent in Aberdeen and 2 per cent in Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness.

This is well behind much of Europe, whose leaders include 55 per cent of people cycling in Groningen in the Netherlands, and 30 per cent in Copenhagen. Even in the UK, cycling rates used to be far higher, with 15 per cent of people in the saddle in the 1950s.

Cycling to school in Scotland is also in decline, the new figures show, from 1.5 per cent in 2008 to 1 per cent last year. This is believed to be linked to children becoming less active, and parents being increasingly concerned about road safety and "stranger danger".

One of those few cycling Dundonians is Doreen Monks, 77, who got back in the saddle in May for the first time in more than half a century thanks to a bike loan scheme in the city.

She was advised to consider taking up cycling by her doctor after recovering from a stroke - and may now even stave off having to have her arthritic knee replaced due to the exercise.

The BikeBoost scheme provides free bicycles for certain groups which they can keep so long as they hit minimum mileage targets. It will be extended to students in the city this autumn.

Monks said: "I had not ridden since my twenties and at first my confidence was not good, but it's getting better. I'm feeling better and hope it will help me to lose weight.

"I'm so glad to be back on a bike. Some of my friends are now thinking of doing the same."

While the pensioner may have benefited from the Scottish Government-funded scheme, the money was originally intended to create the UK's first self-service cycle hire network in the city.

However, the Paris-style project was eventually considered unfeasible because of expected high running costs from vandalism and the need to move bikes back to some drop-off points, such as at the top of hills,

However, London has taken up the idea, with its mayor, Boris Johnson - himself a regular cyclist - launching a hire scheme with Barclays last month, which includes free use for the first half hour in return for a membership fee.

The National Cycle Network may now have tentacles from the Borders to Shetland, but some routes that were due to have been opened five years ago have still to be completed.

These include much of the route between Oban and Inverness, and others west to Skye, and between Stranraer and Newton Stewart. A gap also remains between Stirling and Callander.

Sustrans, the group spearheading development of the network, is confident these will be finished by 2014, while other routes, such as Edinburgh-Dunbar-Berwick, which were not in the original plans, have already been opened.

David Wardrop-White from Dalkeith, a volunteer ranger for Sustrans, said: "In the last two years I've seen huge improvements to routes, making it easier and safer for commuters to cycle.

"The route from Eskbank through Gilmerton into the city has new paving, new shared routes for pedestrians and cyclists and new cycle lanes. I've seen many more cyclists in the last few months using it than ever."

John Lauder, Sustrans' Scotland director, said funding and land ownership problems had been the main hurdles to extending the network.

He said the key to increasing cycling rates was a more co-ordinated and properly funded government development strategy, rather than the piecemeal approach of the past.

He praised ministers for funding maintenance and signposts on the network, but said a "big concern" was the fate of the Scottish Government's new blueprint under the impending spending squeeze.

The Scottish Government published its Cycling Action Plan in June, with a target of 10 per cent of all journeys to be made by bike within ten years, but its 3.9m funding depends on the autumn spending review.

Lauder said the plans included key initiatives to encourage nervous cyclists, such as a segregated two-way cycle path beside roads between Glasgow city centre and the west end.

He remained optimistic that funding would be secured: "I am hopeful because the cost-benefit ratios of cycling are really high, such as in reduced pollution and increased health. We have achieved more cycling than the proportion of the transport budget spent on it, so it is already outperforming the resources allocated."

He also pointed to Stockholm, which saw a rapid increase in cycling after the city spent a relatively small amount on improving its existing network.

Colin Howden, director of sustainable transport campaigners Transform Scotland, said: "The high rates of cycling seen in countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands did not come about by accident, but by sustained programmes of investment and political support.

"The Scottish Government has set an ambitious target for a five-fold increase in levels of cycle use within the next decade. To meet this target, we're going to require a much higher degree of leadership from local politicians in championing investment in cycle infrastructure. At present, investment in cycle facilities still appears to be seen by most politicians as an optional extra rather than something that could make Scottish towns and cities much more sustainable and civilised."

Dr Dan Barlow, head of policy at green group WWF Scotland, said of the target: "For this to be anything other than rhetoric, we need to see a step change in government transport spending priorities."

Chris Hill, co-founder of the Edinburgh Bike Co-op, who runs the CityCyclingEdinburgh.info website, said the National Cycle Network was "wonderful but not enough".

He said: "Funders (mostly public] are inclined to think that now the network is mostly in place, nothing more needs to be done for cycling.

"But the network is not close to the standard of motorways or even B roads. In places it can be muddy or involve undesirable detours. This is because cycling is viewed as marginal. Even where there is massive potential for cycle tourists, little is done to promote or encourage it."

The Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency said it was spending more than ever on cycling and walking - known as "active travel" - to help achieve its tough global warming reduction goals.

A spokeswoman said: "Scotland has the most ambitious climate change legislation anywhere in the world. Our climate change delivery plan means persuading more motorists to get out of their cars and getting more people to cycle - that's why we have set the challenging target for 2020 that 10 per cent of all journeys taken in Scotland be made by bike.

"As a result, we are making a record 31m investment in sustainable and active travel this year."