Council Scores in Cycle Survey

The second Cycling Scotland National Assessment of Local Authority Cycling Policy (the first was in 2005) awarded City of Edinburgh Council 60% overall – across a range of criteria. It shares this score with three other councils. Only Fife was better with 71%.

The Assessment is a “qualitative assessment of local authority cycling policy. The purpose of the study is to encourage an organisational culture that ensures cycling becomes a realistic travel and leisure choice for the travelling public.”

The areas covered (scores – Edinburgh/Scottish average [overall position])   Leadership & Commitment 73/60 [2nd] Strategy 71/62 [5th] Resources & Co-ordination 86/57 [1st=] Cycle Skills Development 23/47 [26th - out of 32] Infrastructure 70/56 [2nd] Marketing 38/52 [22nd=] Policy & Strategy Evaluation 50/46 [9th=] Monitoring Cycling 76/56 [1st] Understanding Users & Stakeholders 84/55 [1st]

The very low score for “Cycle Skills Development” will surprise no-one who has been campaigning for many years for universal Cycle Training. A tiny number of Edinburgh primary schools organise Cycle Training in school time. A few more schools have CT as an after school option – which means that only a small proportion of pupils take part.

Until August last year, Cycle Training in Edinburgh was the responsibility of the Police. Lothian & Borders has decided to concentrate resources on ‘young driver training‘. L&BP seems to be unaware of the irony that better cycling (and pedestrian) training might reduce the need for training young drivers…

Cycle Training is now firmly the responsibility of the Council – primarily the Children and Families Department. Safe Routes to School measures, and even the provision of cycle parking in schools, has mostly been the result of the actions (and money) of City Development. In spite of campaigning (and the support of councillors with responsibility for both departments), there has been very little progress in the last ten years.

This may be about to change. Last year the Scottish Government provided money (to Cycling Scotland) for 60,000 reflective waistcoats, 120,000 reflective slapbands, 12,600 portable road signs and 2,100 “cycle activity skills kits” – enough for all schools in Scotland.

“Cycling Scotland advocate that training should take place on road and recommend that all children should be offered training.“

Cycling Scotland’s new report’s recommendations for Edinburgh -

􀂄 Incorporate indicators on cycle use into the Single Outcome Agreement

􀂄 Develop a cycling action plan cutting across policy areas to support strategy delivery

􀂄 Strengthen policy to tackle unnecessary private car use in town centres

􀂄 Deliver Scottish Cycle Training Scheme cycle training to 10-12 year olds on-road

􀂄 Introduce delivery of multi-stage child cycle training

􀂄 Carry out market research and market segmentation

􀂄 Develop an outcome-based marketing strategy for cycling, cutting across departments

􀂄 Pilot targeted marketing campaigns linked to a broader marketing strategy

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