Cycling experts and transport heads will explore how to encourage a more diverse range of people onto two wheels in Scotland in a major cycling conference next week.
Scottish Minister for Transport, Humza Yousaf, MSP will attend the Cycling Scotland Conference at Perth Concert Hall, along with chief executive of Sustrans Scotland, Xavier Brice, Scots adventurer Mark Beaumont, and health and tourism representatives.
As part of the planned events there will be study tours, meetings and rides across Perth and Kinross and around Scotland. Dr Jenny Mindell, reader in Public Health at UCL is among speakers, and the conference will end with a discussion between Brice, Andrew Brown, of Glasgow City Council and Keira Anderson of Cyclehack.
Cycling levels falling in Scotland – ‘no way on earth’ government can hit 2020 target
Attendees may ponder a recent flurry of anti-cycling backlash which have led to the scrapping of plans to extend proposed cycle routes and even the ripping out of one protected cycle route, despite the fact it did not reduce motor traffic capacity on one Ayrshire road. They may also discuss how to arrest falling cycling levels, after campaigners said last month there was “no way” the government could hit its cycling targets to achieve 10 per cent of journeys by bike by 2020.
Monday from midday until 4pm will see a selection of four study tours around local areas, many which have improved their cycling routes.
Report outlines how Scotland can hit 2020 cycling target
One tour will take in Perth town centre, and changes helping make its streets more friendly for cycling, thanks to Community Links funding. A second will take in the rural cycling network from Kinross, onto the Loch Leven Heritage Trails. A third will visit Dundee waterfront, mostly off road, which has seen significant investment, including cycle links. In Falkirk a fourth ride will visit the Helix Park and the Kelpies.
There will also be a “Cake and Chat” event with the Women’s Cycle Forum Scotland, a membership organisation open to anyone, which “aims to promote and encourage women in cycling in all its forms”.
Tuesday will feature a number of talks and breakout sessions throughout the day.
The conference is sponsored by Perth and Kinross Council and supported by Transport Scotland.
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7 thoughts on “Cycling Scotland conference to look at how to get Scots into the saddle”
Aww. A conference and a chat.
Aww. A conference and a chat. Humza loves these.
Useless self-promoter. Done bugger all except blow his own horn.
Improve the Weather?
Improve the Weather?
What was Cycling Scotland
What was Cycling Scotland actually acheved in the last 11 years? Probably less than Pedal on Parliament which is just a small group of unpaid grass roots voluntees.
If they dont know now how to fix the problem then they should not be in there job.
A politician is the only person I know that gets employed to do a job but has to ask everyone else how they do it or ask advice on how to do it so he can blame everyone else.
I would like to have gone to this event but paying the price of £45.00 for the 2 days is well out of my league at the moment, by all means if the Scottish Minister for Transport, Humza Yousaf, MSP would like to ask me for any advice I would be more than will to help that is of course if he is not too busy going about his other political business which does not include road transport.
yakity yak, yawn yawn, yakity
yakity yak, yawn yawn, yakity yak, yawn yawn, all talk and no action as Scotland holds on gallantly to its position near the bottom of the league of cycle friendly countries in Europe.
This is all just so sad.
Humza Yousaf is notably keen
Humza Yousaf is notably keen to engage with people on social media except when it comes to active travel. Not a single comment on it except to promote the tiny amount of spending on the South City Way planned for Glasgow. With active travel representing 1.9% of the Scottish transport budget, small wonder he’s keeping his head down. And councillors from his own party are the ones who voted down the Bears Way extension (leaving a useless stump that goes from nowhere to nowhere) and voted to remove the segregated lane on Holmston Road in Ayr. So Humza gets a wee tour of a few bits of cycle infrastructure and a photo opp, whereas what he really needs is to take a spin down Great Western Road in Glasgow or Corstorphine Road in Edinburgh on his bike to witness the lawless driving (speeding and red light jumping being the top events for motorists), intimidation of vulnerable road users, and pollution (noise and air – the latter dangerously and illegally high).
More ineffectual pish. I’m utterly sick of it.
In other news, Scotland’s obesity problem worsens. Truly, a head-scratcher.
I went out for a cycle this morning, most of the time i had to stay near the middle of the road frustrating other drivers i don’t do this to annoy them in anyway and i am sorry that it may seem this way but i do it for my own safety. So come on down Mr Scottish Minister for Transport, Humza Yousaf, MSP and see what it is like to ride and also drive on our Scottish roads.
I think all MPs should be like pupils in schools they should have a report card every 3 months showing what you have done to make things better not for just cyclist but the whole community in general, all the MPs i supposed to be the best at what they do but so far the best the Scottish Minister for Transport, Humza Yousaf, MSP can do is stick his head in the sand and come out for the odd photo.
To be honest i think you should be fired Scottish Minister for Transport, Humza Yousaf, MSP.
While I am on a rant what about the police, it is there duty also to protect the most vulnerable I would think cyclist and motorcyclist are the most vulnerable road users but what have the police done to make sure that the council ensures that the roads are kept to an acceptable standard for all, nothing not one letter has been sent to any council about the road conditions we have found it the acceptable just to filling a pothole in like a 3-year-old at the beach instead of asking for the whole stretch of road to be relayed properly.
One of the biggest parties in Scotland is not SNP or Labour party its car, lorry etc and it’s about time you got together and asked for something better.
What does London get HS2 and a new Heathrow runway …brilliant