The letter from Transport Minister Keith Brown (May 4) in response to the debate on cycling investment says it all.
The sum of £83m is intended to sound impressive – but it is over four to five years, and covers active travel – both cycling and walking. Given that total transport spending is around £2000m a year, Mr Brown is confirming the Spokes research which shows that out of every £1 of transport spending, well under 1p is invested in cycling. Three years ago the Government set a target that by 2020 10% of all trips in Scotland would be by bike. With only 1%-2% of trips now by bike that is a massively ambitious target, albeit a very worthy one. However, until the Government restructures its transport budget to invest in cycling on a European level, it is talking rhetoric, not reality.
Dave du Feu,
Spokes Cycle Campaign, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh,
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