Healthy, sustainable journeys for all

Even though walking and cycling have so many benefits, a lot of people still choose other travel options – even for short journeys.

To encourage more active journeys, there are initiatives all over Scotland to make sure safer travel environments are in place – making walking and cycling easy choices.

Find out more about active travel.

See Scotland’s active travel agenda to develop a sustainable travel network.

Walking is a free and easy way of being more physically active and taking a walk really does have so many benefits.

For starters, walking can help prevent a range of health conditions, such as:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Some cancers
• Alzheimer’s

Walking more can make a huge difference to your overall health and wellbeing.

It can help to:

• Make you sleep better
• Manage pain and a range of long-term conditions
• Build stamina, burn calories and make your heart healthier
• Reduce falls in older adults
• Increase feelings of self-esteem
• Improve your mood
• Reduce anxiety and depression

Read more on the benefits of walking for your health.

Walking instead of driving can help to reduce vehicle emissions and ease congestion. To help improve safety, there are more and more dedicated footpaths – letting us enjoy our urban spaces.

More on Scotland’s national walking strategy.

Living Streets offers more information on walking and cycling in Scotland.

Scotland is committed to increasing cycling levels – both for everyday travel and for leisure. That’s because cycling brings a huge range of benefits to us all.

It can:

• Reduce noise pollution
• Cut exhaust emissions
• Improve health
• Give us more time to enjoy our urban spaces
• Save money

Find out more about cycling in Scotland.

Businesses and other organisations who develop a cycling and walking culture can help to:

• Lower organisational transport costs
• Reduce the need for expensive car parking spaces
• Increase productivity through improved staff wellbeing
• Show a commitment to protecting the environment
• Be eligible for accreditation schemes like the Healthy Working Lives Award and the Cycle Friendly Employer Award

The cycle network is promoted and developed by Sustrans and Transport Scotland, in partnership with:

• Local and national roads and planning authorities
• Forestry Commission Scotland
• Scottish Canals
• Scottish Natural Heritage
• National Park Authorities
• Landowners and other bodies

To help get more people on their bikes, the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme can help pay for repairs if people don’t have the funds.

The scheme will:

• Help fix flat tyres, loose brakes and clunky gears
• Offer free bike repair and maintenance work up to £100 for a specialist bike
• Be inclusive and accessible for all
• Give people who use manual wheelchairs access to free repairs
• Make all kinds of bikes welcome, including:
  • Adult and child bikes
  • Tandems
  • Trikes
  • Handcycles
  • Non-standard and adapted bikes

Find out more about the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme.

The Bike Station also offers information on refurbished bikes.

The Scottish Government’s vision for 2045 prioritises the environment and people’s wellbeing.
The aim is to reach net zero in a way that is fair and just to all. This will involve people and communities – so everyone can benefit from the widespread, positive changes.

For example, changes to:

• How we live, work and travel
• Our energy system, industries, the natural environment and agriculture sector
• How we use and process materials

Find out more about Scotland’s Climate Change Plan.