Emilia Hanna, Head of the National Cycle Network in Scotland, explores the findings of the 2023-24 National Cycle Network Scotland Impact Report, and what this means more widely for active travel across the country.
At Leverndale Hospital in Glasgow, bollards and chicanes which had prevented access to National Cycle Network Route 7 from the hospital site for patients and staff were removed. Credit: Sustrans, 2024
The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the backbone of Scotland’s active travel network.
Identifiable by its iconic blue and red signage, the Network connects cities, towns and countryside over 1,620 miles of route.
Sustrans staff and volunteers are working to fix and grow the NCN, in partnership with landowners, local councils, and community groups.
Each year, Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Unit (RMU) analyse delivery of these projects, and the most recent findings have just been published in the 2023-24 National Cycle Network Scotland Impact Report.
These insights paint a compelling picture of how, with funding from Transport Scotland, we are making strides towards our vision of traffic-free paths for everyone.
Increasing the number of people walking, cycling and wheeling in Scotland
We want the National Cycle Network to be easier to use, higher quality, and more widely available.
This will encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle.
In 2023-24, we completed 20 separate infrastructure projects on the Network.
From resurfacing work in Cullen on the beautiful Moray Coast to route improvements in Carnoustie, in total 25.8km of path were either upgraded or created.
We know that providing safe, traffic-free routes, which are useable year-round, enables us as individuals and communities to make healthier and more sustainable journey choices.
In fact, figures show that in 2023 many of the 52 million trips that were taken on the NCN in Scotland replaced short car journeys.
Whether that’s actively commuting to work, popping to the shops or doing the school run, this saved an impressive 3,086 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Two adults on a widened and resurfaced walking, wheeling and cycling route between the picturesque coastal villages of Cullen and Portknockie. Credit: Sustrans, 2024
Improving accessibility on the National Cycle Network
It is vital that everyone, regardless of age or ability, can enjoy the physical and mental health benefits associated with regular use of the National Cycle Network.
In 2022 we discovered over 4000 barriers on the NCN which were preventing access for people using wheelchairs, adapted bikes and buggies.
We are committed to getting rid of every one of these barriers and have set up a programme to facilitate this.
Our new report highlights that in 2023-24 a record 437 physical barriers were removed from routes across Scotland.
This is a huge success.
At Leverndale Hospital in Glasgow, a facility which provides in-patient mental health care to adults in the south side of Glasgow, bollards and chicanes which had prevented access to National Cycle Network Route 7 from the hospital site were removed.
Making the National Cycle Network safer for all
Properly designed active travel infrastructure saves lives.
In Bathgate, our Greenways programme installed new crossing points over a busy road after the local community petitioned to improve the route.
This has made it easier to access the National Cycle Network, as well as key community services including schools, housing and supermarkets.
Post-construction monitoring found that 87% of users surveyed at Bathgate agreed that the paths and crossings feel safe, compared to just 15% agreeing before the work took place.
The number of trips on the NCN access paths also increased after construction, with usage up by 31% overall.
This shows how when we make it safer to walk, wheel and cycle, it gives many more people the confidence to travel actively instead of using the car.
The 'Shapechangers' project included three temporary artworks which were assembled using recycled materials in Greenock. Credit: Sustrans, 2023
Engaging communities with their local routes
The report also highlighted how the programme is helping grow the number and diversity of National Cycle Network users by using a creative approach to community engagement.
In 2023, we worked with young artists from Glasgow, Alloa, Inverness and Greenock to transform neglected sections of the Network into more welcoming and meaningful places.
The ‘ShapeChangers’ project saw a series of temporary outdoor artworks designed and installed by the young creators to make walking, wheeling and cycling in their local area more enjoyable.
The results showed that this had a positive influence on perceptions of the NCN.
After visiting the artworks, 68% of survey respondents said they felt more or much more welcome on the Network.
On whether this would make them more likely to travel actively, 92% of the young people agreed that they knew more about their local walking, wheeling and cycling pathways and 75% planned to use them more often.