In July 2023, ‘A Call to Action: The Regional Transport Strategy for the west of Scotland 2023 – 2038’ was approved by Scottish Ministers as the new Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) for the SPT area.
The RTS supports the principles of the NTS2 Sustainable Travel Hierarchy, which promotes walking, wheeling, cycling, public transport and shared mobility in preference to single occupancy private car use.
Taking cognisance of this, the RTS outlines that SPT recognise the need to act quickly to reduce transport emissions and support the transition to zero tailpipe emission vehicles, whilst continuing to aim for the wider changes needed in reducing car dependency and creating healthier, safer streets and communities.
To support this, the Strategy outlined three targets and which SPT are working towards, each reliant on the role of active and sustainable travel:
- T1: By 2030, car kilometres in the region will be reduced by at least 20%.
- T2: By 2030, transport emissions will be reduced by at least 53% from the 2019 baseline.
- T3: By 2030, at least 45% of all journeys will be made by means other than private car as the main mode.
There are key active and sustainable travel projects to be progressed over the coming years to support these outcomes, including the delivery of SPT’s Regional Active Travel Strategy, and the delivery of the People and Place Programme.
Active travel will play a key role in delivering the recently published Regional Transport Strategy (A Call to Action, 2023-2038), particularly with respect to enhancing social inclusion, lowering transport emissions, and promoting health and wellbeing. As such, SPT is in the process of developing a regional Active Travel Strategy (ATS) and Network & Infrastructure Delivery Plan (DP).
The final round of public and stakeholder consultation on the strategy has recently been completed.
Further information on the process, and a link to access the draft strategy, can be found via the link below.
In line with the changing context of active travel at a national level, and the emphasis on shifting to more sustainable transport modes, Transport Scotland announced changes to the model for delivering active travel behaviour change and access to bike projects and initiatives from 2024/25, with more direct funding and control to be delivered through local authorities, reflecting the 'local by default, national by agreement' principle established by the Verity House Agreement.
As part of this new approach, Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) were requested to lead on the “People and Place Programme” covering active travel behaviour change and access to bike initiatives, with capital and revenue funding from Transport Scotland to be co-ordinated through RTPs to councils, third sector organisations and other delivery partners.
Throughout 2024/25, SPT are working with programme partners to deliver £7.2million of projects across the region that focus on people’s behaviours and travel choices and the places they travel through and to in a bid to encourage travel behaviour change to more sustainable modes for everyday journeys.
More information on the programme being delivered this year is available in the People and Place Programme committee report.
SPT are currently planning ahead to form the programme for next year through which there will be a slightly wider scope for community groups and also sustainable travel projects to be funded. More information on this will be released at a later date.
Our People and Place Programme team can be contacted to discuss the programme at: [email protected]
If you would like any further information about Active and Sustainable Travel at SPT, please email us at [email protected]