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As part of the policy development for the Active Travel People and Place programme 2024-25, evidence was considered from a range of sources, including the recommendations from the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

The policy is underpinned by a behaviour change approach that seeks to ensure that interventions tackle the individual, social, and material (ISM) factors that influence people’s travel choices. We developed four evidence-based themes that sit across the programme that address long-term social trends, target our largest trip generators, help secure a Just Transition, and systemically strengthen delivery, as well as providing structure for our overarching monitoring and evaluation framework.

Following engagement with delivery partners, RTPs, and representatives from Local Authorities, key deliverables (e.g. cycle training in schools; support for disadvantaged/vulnerable communities) were identified as priorities for continue support. Taking these into account, criteria were developed by Transport Scotland policy officials and discussed with the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights in December 2023 and January 2024. These themes are: Schools and Young People, Workplaces, Accessibility and Inclusion, and Capacity and Capability Building.

‘Schools and Young People’ covers interventions in and around schools that deliver holistic solutions for creating an environment where active travel choices are not only an option, but the most desirable way to travel for young people and families. The theme is key both in terms of ‘place’, with schools collectively being one of the largest trip generators in Scotland (there were over 705,000 children attending school in Scotland in 2023 with about 50% of their journeys being made actively), and also ‘people’, with strong evidence showing that social norms play a crucial role in behaviour change, and that helping children establish healthy travel behaviours should be a core activity of programmes seeking sustainable travel behaviours.

‘Workplaces’ covers interventions that focus on places of work (including further and higher education), that make active travel choices a realistic solution for commuting. This theme is key as places of work are significant trip generators, with the latest statistics showing ‘Commuting’ as the second most frequent reason for personal travel, at 21%.

‘Accessibility and Inclusion’ covers interventions that create opportunities for everyone to make the choice to travel actively. Evidence shows that there is a large number of underrepresented groups in Scotland who do not participate in active travel. Barriers include cost, social perception, culture, health, ability, and geographical location. Though this theme we will ensure people with different abilities, or people without the knowledge or skills, are not left out of our drive to promote walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys.

‘Capacity and Capability Building’ covers interventions that build the delivery capacity and capability of the sector. Transport was part of Scotland’s Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP), which highlighted that the transition to net zero will require behaviour change by both employers and individuals. The CESAP stressed the need for skills investment planning in this area and to support stakeholders to take action to drive behaviour change and develop the leadership and management skills that will be required for a net zero future.

We are keeping these themes under review, and our ongoing monitoring and evaluation framework will draw on data included the Walking and Cycling Index and the Scottish Household Survey (SHS) which has data on the purpose of short journeys.

The Scottish Government funding for active travel projects is not allocated based on STPR2 recommendation delivered. We fund a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 3 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to connect villages to towns by active travel. This includes funding for the National Cycle Network programme, investment in active travel infrastructure on the trunk road network, and funding provided to local authorities via the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme and the new Active Travel Infrastructure fund, and directly through the Cycling Walking Safer Routes (CWSR) grant.

The North East Bus Alliance has spent £9.94 million from the Bus Partnership Fund. This includes funding for the business case for Aberdeen Rapid Transit (ART) and bus priority on its associated corridors. This also includes £0.33 million for the development and delivery of bus gates in Aberdeen City Centre, which opened in August 2023, and supporting works of £7.98 million on South College Street, which enabled the bus gates. The North East Bus Alliance have reported that bus gates in Aberdeen City Centre have reduced journey times for passengers by up to 25%, benefitting over 600,000 passengers each month.

Future work on ART, led by Nestrans and its partners Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and the North East Bus Alliance, will be funded through the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

A new model for delivery of active travel behaviour change interventions has been introduced for 2024-25. The People and Place programme will be delivered by Scotland’s seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs). Grant offer letters have been issued to all of the RTPs which contain the information required for drawing down funding from their allocation once the grant offer is accepted. This funding will be available to the RTPs, working with their delivery partners, to spend on behaviour change interventions during the 2024-25 financial year.

The Active Travel Budget is an annually set allocation from the overall Scottish Transport Budget. The Active Travel Programme contains a blend of Grants awarded in accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, contracts drawn down from Scottish Government procurement frameworks, and budget transfers to support investments managed in other areas of the portfolio. A breakdown of years 2012-13 to 2023-23 is set out below, our figures for 2023-24 are also shown with the caveat that these should be considered as indicative of the year end process completing;

The Ferguson Marine Board shared their new business plan with Scottish Government on 5 April 2024.

This is now being considered and an update will provided in due course.

The new interim chief executive of Ferguson Marine is not entitled to relocation expenses. His remuneration package includes a travel and subsistence allowance and Ferguson Marine will pay any such costs properly incurred.

Transport Scotland's involvement in Project CAVForth demonstrates the Scottish Government's belief that a modern transport system is fundamental to sustainable and inclusive economic growth and has the potential to deliver economic and societal benefits.

Transport Scotland’s involvement in Project CAVForth, as a partner, came to a conclusion at the end of July 2023 when the funding period for the project ended. The project aim of delivering an autonomous bus service was successfully achieved and my officials obtained considerable operational knowledge relating to the steps required to support the safe implementation of such a service. As Transport Scotland was only a partner for a 12 week period of the trial service, there was a constraint on the amount of evaluation that could be undertaken within that time period. Nevertheless, through Transport Scotland’s involvement, my officials met regularly with City of Edinburgh Council and Fife Council to provide updates on the project, in addition to sharing learning at a number of industry events that representatives from various local roads authorities attended.

As the trial service continues until March 2025 under the successor project (CAVForth 2), the project partners (which does not include Transport Scotland) are continuing to evaluate the project including via Stagecoach as the operator of the service. In Transport Scotland’s role as the roads authority for the majority of the route, my officials will continue to support the project and share further learning with other Scottish Transport Authorities. Most recently this was done through the delivery of a presentation by my officials at an ITS UK event, which was attended by Glasgow City Council on 8 February 2024.

My officials also continue to actively engage with partners to gain a greater understanding of the impact that the deployment of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, the benefits that they bring and opportunities to share this knowledge more widely.

In 2023, SG published its Vision for Scotland’s Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network , highlighting the need for a transition towards a public charging network that is largely financed and delivered by the private sector. In late 2024 we will publish an Implementation Plan identifying the key actions be taken to deliver our Vision in response to the UK CCC recommendation.

This Implementation Plan will include a route map for delivering approximately 24,000 additional public charge points by 2030 and will be developed in partnership with key stakeholders who share collective responsibility for delivering public EV charging across Scotland and outline an agreed set of actions to meet Scotland’s needs, including the needs of rural and island communities.