Cycling levels falling in Scotland – ‘no way on earth’ government can hit 2020 target

Funding is part of the problem. Cycling on the roadways in Scotland can be quite hazardous - even deadly, but it's the attitude of so many in local governments that is so abysmal. For example, when the cyclist was killed in Fort William last month, council memebers bemoaned the traffic jam; the loss of this man's life was barely mentioned. We've all seen these attitudes reflected in some drivers we encounter on shared roadways. Proper attitudes are harder to build than cycle paths.

Then there's the other problem - the one that funding and organization *can* remedy. Cycle paths throughout the West Highlands are disjointed with numerous gaps that require cyclists to share the road with motorized vehicles. And given that venturing more than a few miles will require cycling on a shared roadway, the factors that most discourage cycling in my area of Argyll are the heavy levels of HGV traffic and the carnage on A82 and A828. Numerous riders I speak with just don't feel the rewards of cycling can offset the very real risks of serious injury and death for riders on shared roadways here.

Unconstituted is right - iirc London got a bump in cycle popularity with the various terrorism things. And there's the cost of transport, and the difficulty of driving maybe? It's accumulative.

Edinburgh buses are cheap, and distances are low enough for walking (as evidenced by the buses being full when it rains), and the cost and hassle of car ownership is low, too.

I went to a talk by a Cph cycling expert and he said we needed to make buses less convenient if we want to increase cycling. Sitting at the exhaust of those things, I don't share that feeling that public transport is the urban cyclist's friend.

Even Stockholm manages around 7% cycling share (which is growing), the weather is really just another distraction.

@Bigrab
When approaching a roundabout I will take the lane appropriate for my exi, just as if I was in a car. To do otherwise risks a left hook. Traffic is, or at least should be, slowing down for the roundabout.

Sorry I don't buy that at all. That's an experienced cyclist expressing what he'd like to make his rides better which sounds good to other experienced cyclists. But that's not the reality of what's hurting cycling's uptake in Edinburgh

Canvas a group of women or just non-cyclists here and they won't tell you that they haven't tried commuting to work because of poor road surfaces (indeed they aren't even aware the road surfaces are poor for cycling as they haven't tried cycling), and they won't mention anything about left turns, (another cyclist specific issue that you only learn after hours on the bike). 

Edinburgh does not mark itself out as being cycling friendly, ie. no earnest segregation to encourage new cyclists. So why does London stand out both pre and post the CSH? Plainly because of transport costs. Also London's population density is top 40ish in the world, so if you're wondering why it looks like there's tons of cyclists compared to Edinburgh, put 1 and 1 together and there is your answer.

My other half doesn't cycle to work, even though she'd love to, because she's scared of aggressive drivers and close passes which we get when we're out on weekend training rides. Her girlfriends and work colleagues are the same. Ride on the A702 and you'll be getting several extremely hairy close passes in the time it takes you to get from top to bottom of it by lorries and the occassional pram. Canvas local cyclists and they'll tell you precisely this. Try to escape it and you'll have to deal with Penicuik's corridor of death, as one local blogger puts it.  

Do agree the rain is off-putting though. And the wind. And cold. 

Cyclists need to spend more time communicating with non-cyclists because your concerns are not theirs. The thought of riding on a road, non-segregated, on a puny bicycle with cars flying past seems outrageous to most folk.

BigRab wrote:

I moved to Scotland from London two years ago. Icycled in London for almost 20 years.

It was a good post, thanks. I made the move in the opposite direction and would agree with much of what you say (especially roads around Glasgow!). But I'm not sure that the London comparison is a great one - Scotland is more like England outside London (or at least Inner London), including its non-cycling culture. 

In most of the UK, it's still normal to drive to work in most places - almost no-one working in central London does. London car ownership is low and falling, unlike the rest of the country. Outside London, even for those who don't drive, driving is aspirational - whereas in London, cycling is more often considered cool (even if it gets ridiculous sometimes!). Peak-time public transport in cities outside London isn't as overcrowded and expensive as in the capital either, and walking is a more viable option does to shorter distances and more affordable property.

And the people are often different in (inner) London: generally more highly-educated, more ambitious (many moved there for work after all), less likely to have settled down/had children, more likely to be from other countries (where obesity is much less prevalent). Sadly, one of the first things I think when I arrive in Manchester or Glasgow is how unhealthy and overweight many people appear.

I moved to Scotland from London two years ago. I cycled in London for almost 20 years. I have since cycled around 15,000 km in rural and urban areas across Scotland. So I feel I can offer some perspective on the question of "cycle rates" in Scotland. 
I do not accept the argument that the pitifully low share of cycling journeys as a proportion of the total is a result of congestion, aggressive driving or a lack of segregated cycle lanes. 
Despite having more traffic and more aggressive driving practices, London and the surrounding areas have seen a cycling boom in the past 10 years. Cycling in and around London, I would experience at least one near miss or form of serious verbal abuse for every two hour training ride. This is a comparatively rare event in Scotland - perhaps once every ten rides. I'm not suggesting that drivers in Scotland are perfect but generally they are more respectful and tolerant of cyclists than drivers in London and its surrounds. 

I do not think segregated cycling lanes are the answer to increasing cycling popularity. Until relatively recently London has had very few segregated cycle lanes. What it does have in abundance are bus lanes and comparatively smooth and pot hole free roads. It is bus lanes that the vast majority of London cyclists use relatively safely and in huge numbers day in and day out. 

I think there are three reasons why cycling in Scotland is struggling. 

1) In my experience the roads in Scotland are worse than London and the roads in Glasgow and parts of the west of Scotland are worst I've experienced in a first world country. Cycling bodies and local councils should focus money on fixing the roads. Many thousands of miles of roads could be repaired for the same cost as building a few tens of miles of segregated cycling lanes. This would improve the safety and riding experience of all cyclists. 

2) Transport for Scotland and local councils need to end the practice of compulsory left turns at junctions or roundabouts when in the left lane. This forces cyclists into the right lane and thus exposes them to fast moving traffic. For experienced this is very tricky to navigate for inexperienced cyclists this is extremely dangerous. This practice could be stopped in relatively short order at limited cost. 

3) Weather plays its part. The issue is rain not cold. While I do think this is a factor, it is the least significant (and uncontrollable). It is important to note that Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool all enjoy higher shares of journeys but enjoy a similar climate to central and Southern Scotland. 

" but even the most ardent car driver has to walk to and from their car once in a while."

usually done across and through traffic utilising any on road cycle lane as a pedestrian waiting to cross zone - holding your car key entitles you to move away from the pavement network and car drivers will slow to let you cross 

Just to point out the 1.9% of transport budget was for cycle and pedrestrian paths.  Woefully underfunded.  I am not aware what the percentage of pedrestrian journeys are, but even the most ardent car driver has to walk to and from their car once in a while.

It's Hillary's fault.

The 10% target was always a joke, even years ago when it could feasibly have been achieved. I don't know why it was even announced as there's virtually zero interest in utility cycling among Scotland's transport authorities - either local or national.

Edinburgh might be spending a bit more, and does have some nice off-road routes, but its roads (the vast majority of any "cycle network") are in terrible shape.

The 10% target was always a joke, even years ago when it could feasibly have been achieved. I don't know why it was even announced as there's virtually zero interest in utility cycling among Scotland's transport authorities - either local or national.

Edinburgh might be spending a bit more, and does have some nice off-road routes, but its roads (the vast majority of any "cycle network") are in terrible shape.

Should see the state of the roads in Edinburgh and the outskirts. Need to go down to the Borders for a decent bit of tarmac. Policing of dangerous drivers is virtiually non-existent. Some A roads are lethal - you'll get buzzed 50 to 70mph at a meter or less. Lottery if you make it home alive.

Then the tram tracks. The horror of the tram tracks. Edinburgh Council and local govt. are hopeless. Have been for decades, no matter who is in charge. 

No wonder people didn't trust them to go Inde. They haven't shown any aptitude for managing a large project or basic maintenance. 

If the current funding is 1.9% of road funding and the number of cyclists was 1.2% then you need about 16% of the road funding to reach the 10% target.

Obvoiusly this is just a basic number crunch, but it shows why the current investment levels are too low. Of course it's typical politics... Let's set a target way off in the future and make no effort, then when we get to that distant date, we will blame someone else.

Investment in infrastructure is also only part of the solution, other important factors are drivers attitudes and weather. I know a few people who started cycling when the cycle superhighways were built, but gave up due to drivers attitudes and behaviour when not on the 'safe' routes. Also, many cycle commuters are hardy beasts who don't notice the cold and wet, but others are put off outside activity. My parents switch to driving at the first hint of rain or cold weather.

Nationalists not actually good at government, but I'm sure it's the Tory's fault somehow.

News at 11.

I was cycling along National Cycle Route 1 (which although very well signed around here, is rather circuitous in nature: Road 15km, NCN 24km) this morning in Southern Scotland - all of a sudden there are signs "ROAD AHEAD CLOSED". Now I know that the closed section is 1.3km long... the diversion for cyclists (unsigned of course) is to backtrack 3km then follow a parallel road. There is no reason at all that the local authority couldn't have signed the cycling diversion from the point 3km down the road (which 99% of NCN users would have passed and saved themselves 6km of wasted pedalling) other than sheer incompetence. Those cyclists without local knowledge would find themselves on the signed diversion for motor traffic - which is a good 2.5km extra on top of the 6 introduced by the incompetence).

I directed 3 parties of cycling tourists (heavily laden panniers etc) to avoid the closure in the time it took me to backtrack from the closure - obviously I can't be there all day to do that.

This is a local authority which is examining its "Cycling Tourism Strategy" to encourage more cycling tourists. Naturally this is the second such road closure affecting the NCN network around here with no thought about the cyclists (or pedestrians) affected this week.

Bottom line: Even if the Scottish Government suddenly rememebers what it said and finds the money - the vast majority of it will be handed over to Scottish Councils to implement and they appear to be uniformly useless at providing and maintaining the infrastructure required to achieve the desired modal shift.