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Case Studies News

Creating accessible rural routes in Inverness

Inclusive infrastructure

Physical barriers and space-limiting infrastructure, such as narrow footpaths, metal fencing and overgrown vegetation are normally no more than a minor nuisance to people travelling on bike or by foot.

But, because of Covid-19, they have become a major public health concern, as they make it much harder for people to physically distance when out and about.

However, for those with additional mobility needs, this kind of infrastructure has always been an issue. And, whether steering a pram, a cargo bike, or a wheelchair, for many, trying to navigate these kind of obstacles can be a major barrier to a simple journey.

Breaking down barriers

Through Sustrans’ Space for People programme, councils across Scotland have been addressing this problem. Many physical obstructions on walking and cycling routes have either been replaced with more accessible designs, or removed altogether

In Inverness, the Highland Council, identified a number of these barriers along busy active travel commuting routes to the city centre.

Gate removed from Caulfield Road North (left) and the bollards installed in its stead (right). Sustrans/Ewen Donaldson

They included Caulfield Road North, to the east of the city centre. This road links suburban communities with a number of essential services, including Raigmore Hospital, Insches Retail Park and the Inverness Campus.

The council replaced a large yellow gate with brightly coloured bollards in Resaurie, to make it easier for people to walk, cycle and wheel along the route.

Meanwhile, at the other end of Caulfield Road North, at the entry way to Cradlehall Business Park, the council added a dropped kerb in the pavement. This has helped create a smoother and safer crossing point for all users.

Kinmylies Way with metal barriers and overgrown vegetation (left) and after removal (right). Sustrans/Ewen Donaldson

Similarly, to the west of the city centre, Kinmylies Way, a busy walking and cycling route with commuters had become overgrown with vegetation and was marred by imposing intermittent metal fencing.

This created a series of uncomfortable pinch points for path users. It also made it harder for people with cargo bikes, prams or wheelchair users to travel along the path.

The council removed lengths of metal barriers and broadened gravel paths. They also cut back vegetation, including tree cover which reduced the areas visibility. It is now much easier and safer for users travelling along the route.

The future is accessible

These small changes are not only cost-effective for local authorities but quick to apply, making them ideal for Spaces for People projects.

Most importantly of all however, is the difference they can make to how people move around their local areas and make every day journeys.

Find out more about the Highland Council’s Spaces for People project here.

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Case Studies News

New community artwork is unveiled through Small Grants Fund in Glasgow

This piece is part of a series on the South City Way Small Grants Fund. This fund was created to inspire community groups and charities to design artworks and gathering places which encourage walking and cycling. Find out more about the South City Way.

In recent years, significant media attention has focussed on the perceived and often real cultural tensions that are seen to be present in the Govanhill area of Glasgow.

In an effort to combat this and foster new community-led integration, Govanhill Baths Community Trust (GBCT) launched a successful application with Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme, through the South City Way Small Grants Fund.

A Diverse Picture

Led by GBCT, and delivered in partnership with Southside Studios, Locavore, Romano Lav, Annette Street Primary School & Cuthbertson Primary School, the Govanhill Arts Regeneration Network (GARN) proposes a number of high profile public art pieces be installed in key sites around Govanhill in order to reflect the unique cultural diversity of the local area.

Initial designs for the installations were developed following a wide-ranging community consultation, including a charrette, in order to ensure the proposals were inclusive, as well as to facilitate a sense of ownership.

The four installations that were ultimately agreed upon will be located at various points along Victoria Road, the key route of the initial leg of the South City Way.

The Bowman Street Mural, situated at the intersection of Victoria Street and Bowman Street features images designed by the Govanhill Youth Club on the theme of cycling and urban landscape.

The imagery was created by the young people with the aid of design and workshop sessions facilitated by local artist Amelia Rowe.

“I think murals like this are important because they’re accessible to everybody, everybody sees them when they’re going about – they’re free.”

Amelia Rowe, Artist

Nadine Gorency, who led The Bowman Street Mural project on behalf of the GBCT, has been a vocal supporter of community-building initiatives such as this one which could help to promote greater integration in the Govanhill Community.

“The Bowman Street Mural celebrates the diversity of Govanhill with the local community through the arts as well as provide colour and vibrancy to the cycle lane which will in turn encourage cycling, health and wellbeing in Govanhill.”

Nadine Gorency, Project Manager, GBCT

In addition to fostering strengthened social ties, it is hoped the new mural will serve as an attractive rest opportunity for cyclists on the South City Way, increasing support for the local economy whilst also providing a safe cycle route to the city centre.

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Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Young artists create new mural on Glasgow’s South City Way

The charity name Crossroads and Youth Community Association is spread across the wall against the backdrop of a pastoral meadow. A quote from the group’s founder, Geoff Shaw, is also included, and reads: “Everyone has the right to live gloriously!”
The finished mural at The Barn youth space on Abbotsford Place.

Run by Crossroads Youth & Community Association, The Barn is a space for young people in Laurieston and the Greater Gorbals to relax, have fun and receive the support that they need.

Youth Workers at the charity had been looking for a bold and creative way to make their organisation a destination point, in a way that also included the local community.

Their application to the South City Way Small Grants Fund proposed installing an artwork designed by young people in the area on at the front of their building.

Creative Planning

Created to inspire local community and charity groups to propose new gathering places and artworks along Glasgow’s South City Way, the Small Grants Fund offered these groups the chance to apply for a share of over £100,000 to fund their projects.

 The funding inspired local young people to tour the murals and street art around Glasgow in order to develop their own ideas. This took them along cycle paths and into unfamiliar parts of the city that they wouldn’t usually see.

The group then put their designs together for the new collective artwork on Abbotsford Place. A local artist was recruited to help with this process as well as to assist with spraying the final piece on the wall.

The charity name Crossroads and Youth Community Association is spread across the wall against the backdrop of a pastoral meadow. A quote from the group’s founder, Geoff Shaw, is also included, and reads: “Everyone has the right to live gloriously!”
The finished collective artwork at the youth centre on Abbotsford Place.

The completed piece sees the community group’s name Crossroads and Youth Community Association spread across the wall against the backdrop of a pastoral meadow. A quote from the group’s founder, Geoff Shaw, is also included, and reads: “Everyone has the right to live gloriously!”

They also installed planters and bike racks at the front of the centre.

Local Impact

Crossroads and Youth Community Association youth worker Nick Miller, saw The Barn project through to completion from the start.

‘Now you’re just drawn to the building, and through that we’ve had people dropping in and grabbing teas and coffees. We’ve had people taking photographs of stuff, and just leaving a couple of pounds donation. So hopefully it just draws more people to the building’.

Nick Miller, Youth Worker, Crossroads Youth and Community Association

Sustrans Officer Michael Melton, is delighted with the enrichment of the South City Way.

“The Barn stands out now as a safe and creative hub for young people to gather. The mural is a really valuable addition to the South City Way route and a great example of exactly what the Small Grants Fund is for”.

Michael Melton, Infrastructure Coordinator

This piece is part of a series on the South City Way Small Grants Fund. This fund was created to inspire community groups and charities to design artworks and gathering places which encourage walking and cycling. Find out more about the South City Way.

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Case Studies Engineering News

Off-road Midlothian walking and cycling link to support new housing development

Gilmerton to Shawfair ramp, Midlothian ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
An accessible ramp on a new traffic-free cycling and walking route connecting the Gilmerton and Shawfair communities in Midlothian. The route was identified by Sustrans Scotland as a priority for development due to the prospect of new housing being built in the area, with limited active travel routes to local amenities and lack of awareness of key commuter routes to Edinburgh city centre. ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Gilmerton to Shawfair ramp, Midlothian ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
An accessible ramp on a new traffic-free cycling and walking route connecting the Gilmerton and Shawfair communities in Midlothian. ©2019, Sustrans Scotland

Project managed by Sustrans Scotland’s Engineering team, and delivered in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and contractors, RJ McLeod, the project aimed to anticipate the travel needs of future residents of a new housing development set for construction along the former railway line.

By creating arterial active travel infrastructure ahead of the housing development, Sustrans’ aim was to anticipate and shape the travel and leisure habits of future residents to the area.

The resulting 3km traffic-free route connects residents with local amenities including shops, schools, the train station and park and ride.

Sustrans’ engineering team project managed the installation a ramp link to Gilmerton Road, similar to the ramp at Old Dalkieth Road, alongside artworks at two locations.

It has also raised the profile of some of the fantastic commuter routes to Edinburgh City Centre that residents can now take advantage of.

The creation of the Loanhead Path Extension, was funded by Scottish Government through Sustrans National Cycle Network Development Programme.

Artworks

Artwork on Sustrans Gilmerton and Shawfair route, Midlothian ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Artwork on a new traffic-free cycling and walking route connecting the Gilmerton and Shawfair communies. ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Gilmerton to Shawfair route artwork ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Artwork on a new traffic-free cycling and walking route connecting the Gilmerton and Shawfair communities in Midlothian. ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Gilmerton to Shawfair route artwork ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Artwork on a new traffic-free cycling and walking route connecting the Gilmerton and Shawfair communities in Midlothian. ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Artwork unveiling, Gilmerton to Shawfair route, Midlothian ©2019, Sustrans Scotland
Unveiling of new artwork ©2019, Sustrans Scotland

As part of the development of the path, two locations were selected for significant artworks by artists Susheila Jamieson and James Gordon and Andrea Geile.

The artists were selected based on their experience in public sculptures, their skills in involving members of the public with their projects and their fantastic initial ideas for what to create for the sites.

The resulting artworks have helped to increase the attractiveness of the route whilst creating distinctive focal points for path users.

STEM engagement sessions

Sustrans STEM Bike ride, Loanhead path Midlothian, ©2018, Sustrans Scotland
Sustrans Scotland I Bike and engineering teams worked together to deliver STEM curriculum-based lessons to Midlothian school pupils . ©2018, Sustrans Scotland
Sustrans Scotland STEM bike ride Midlothian ©2018, Sustrans Scotland
©2018, Sustrans Scotland

Working in partnership with Sustrans Scotland’s I Bike team in Midlothian, Sustrans’ engineering and schools team worked with Danderhall Primary School in Midlothian, to deliver STEM curriculum-based lessons for local school pupils on the route.

Sustrans’ engineering team provided learning on some of the engineering and maths required to help build the path and Sustrans Ecologist taught pupils about the range of wildlife and biodiversity on the route.­­

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Behaviour Change Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Cooperation paves the way for the Strathmore Cycle Network

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The Strathmore Cycle Network is an ambitious plan by three Community Development Trusts to create a cycle network between Alyth, Blairgowrie & Rattray, and Coupar Angus.

The idea of a traffic free path from Blairgowrie to Coupar Angus, giving locals an alternative to driving or using local bus services, was suggested at a Climate Café event in 2016. This spurred Alyth, Blairgowrie & Rattray, and Coupar Angus into applying for support from Sustrans’s Places for Everyone programme and regional transport partnership Tactran, with plans to deliver a phased network of walking and cycling routes between the three towns.

A Phased Approach

The first phase of the Strathmore Cycle Network was successful thanks to good engagement with local landowners. Working with the Development Trusts and with support from consultants Walking the Talk, they were able to apply to the Improving Public Access Fund, securing £200,000 for the construction of the first 2.5km of path link Alyth and Rattray.

The success of the plans boosted the community’s enthusiasm for the project, and led to the development of phase 2; Blairgowrie to Coupar Angus. The commitment of the volunteers in delivering the first phase impressed Perth and Kinross Council and led to £100,000 funding contribution.

Having a supportive member of the Perth & Kinross’ roads team on the steering group also proved invaluable. The officer was able to positively feedback to other officers in the Council, and offer support and expertise to the Development Trusts to ensure the project progresses smoothly.

Engaging the Community

Support from the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme and Perth & Kinross Council allowed the development trust to appoint the Scottish Community Development Centre to engage the local community. The initial route chosen by the Trusts was locally unpopular but by involving a neutral third party, the Trust were able to make sure there was an objective engagement process.

The engagement sessions worked well; two main route options emerged. Further discussion is on-going in an attempt to avoid a steep gradient, with the Trusts committed to work with the community and Sustrans to identify the best option. As there has been such positive public involvement so far, there is a strong willingness to find a solution and create this key part of the network

Successful Partnership Working

A group of people on bikes leaves a village centre.

The benefits of a Local Authority supporting in a community-led infrastructure project can be considerable. Many groups have huge amounts of enthusiasm and local knowledge to  take projects such as the Strathmore Cycle Network forward.

Development Trusts can be well placed to lead walking, cycling and wheeling projects. They are embedded in the community and often have experience of handling grant funding, working with elected members, and planning processes. Having multiple partners involved can open up additional funding potential. Each of the three Trusts has received grant funding for support activities, including staff time. This was a very deliberate move by the Trusts, and is a reflection of the strong working relationships that they have built. The model used by the three trusts could benefit many rural or sub-urban communities with poor connectivity.

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Behaviour Change Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Barriers to walking and cycling inspire new canal-side ramp

Project representatives at Centre81, Whitecrook, Clydebank. The Community Centre, supported by the local authority, a local housing association and Sustrans have been working to design a new ramp to give the centre a direct connection to the Forth & Clyde Canal/NCN Route 754, allowing residents easier access to the centre and facilitating an existing programme of led rides and other activities on the tow path.
A cyclist arrives to join a led ride from Centre81

Inspired by residents’ reported barriers to walking and cycling, Clydebank Housing Association has been working to create a new accessible path between the Centre81 community centre and the Forth & Clyde Canal.

Working in partnership with Sustrans Scotland, Clydebank Housing Association (CHA) established a steering group with local residents to work out ways to encourage people to walk and cycle for more of their every-day trips.

Residents suggested that creating an accessible route from  Centre81, to the nearby canal towpath – part of National Cycle Network Route 754 – would help more people access the canal as well as local shops, bus links and other neighbourhoods along the canal.

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Using local contacts and knowledge

CHA took on the task of working with the community to identify how best to design this path.

CHA made full use of its existing connections with groups throughout Clydebank. ISARO Social Integration Network – which works to promote integration and understanding amongst communities – provided support for the consultation, along with local disability groups, youth clubs and schools.

The honest feedback about the issues that visitors to Center81 faced on their everyday journeys gave CHA clear understanding of their needs and how they could be addressed through construction of a new access route.

Resources for Behaviour Change

Funding from other sources can help spur interest in walking and cycling in the local area. A successful bid to Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Climate Challenge Fund saw CHA work to refurbish bikes for people in the local area and provide maintenance training so people could keep their bikes on the road.

Led rides and social cycles also began and finished at Centre81, taking advantage of the café and other facilities. The new ramp will give ride groups direct access to and from the canal, avoiding an alternative narrow path. This will give people new or returning to cycling a safe, off-road link to practice and ride freely on.

Photograph: A poly-tunnel sits alongside some overgrown hedges at the side of Centre81
An area of land at the side of Centre81 will be ravamped for the ramp

Inspired by their work with local residents, CHA and their designers created six designs for the ramp. Feedback also came from local stakeholders, including planning and roads officers at West Dunbartonshire Council, representatives from Clydebank Community Council and community officers from Police Scotland. Work with Scottish Canals and Sustrans Scotland ensured that proposals fitted with the requirements around the canal and the National Cycle Network.

Ensuring that local residents and users of Centre81 remained involved, CHA presented the six designs to the community, who voted for their favourite. The successful project was put forward to Sustrans Scotland for Places for Everyone construction funding.

Sustrans awarded CHA £170,000 through the Places for Everyone programme to finalise the technical design of the ramp and carry out construction. The option choose by the community will include local history, artwork, colourful tarmac and lighting to create an interesting new place. The school are keen to contribute by creating content to make this new space reflect the history and culture of Clydebank.

Key Learning
Photograph: Staff from Clydebank Housing Association and Centre81 join a led ride from Centre 81 alongside a canal
Staff from Clydebank Housing Association and Centre81 join a led ride

This project shows how partnerships with other organisations can create additional capacity and make smaller projects easier to deliver.

CHA staff were confident in engaging with their community, but had no experience of delivering an infrastructure project. West Dunbartonshire Council did not have the capacity to work in-depth with the community to develop a proposal for the canal ramp.

By pooling their knowledge and expertise, the two organisations were able to work together to create a useful route which meets the needs of local people and encourages them to travel by foot and bike.

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Behaviour Change Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Creating new neighbourhood links in Toryglen

Through their work with local people, Glasgow-based charity Urban Roots realised that residents of a new housing development, funded as part of the regeneration of Toryglen, were finding it hard to access local services and greenspaces.

The charity applied for funding through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme to design local walking and cycling routes. These will link the new estate with nearby shops, football pitches and woodland.  

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Listening to the needs of the community

To gather information on the links that would be most useful to the community, Urban Roots held focus groups tailored to their different volunteer groups, held engagements at existing meetings and ran standalone events.

Urban Roots works to support many vulnerable people and groups with protected characteristics. This experience and the trust built up with volunteers, locals and service users let them carry out in-depth consultation with groups that may have been hard to reach for a local authority or developer, including a mental health and wellbeing group and the Orchard Grove care home

The charity focused on identifying solutions to problems faced by the community in the area. They created concept boards to spark ideas at consultations. By working closely with the community and design agency LUC, Urban Roots were able to make sure that feedback from the targeted consultations was meaningfully translated into the concept designs. 

This meant the proposed designs suggested walking and cycling routes which recognised the everyday journeys made by local residents, formalised desire lines and which were accessible, safe and welcoming to all.

“I think this would be a great space to use and for everyone from elderly to disabled people. Really well thought about!”

Consultation Response

Changing local travel habits

Urban Roots used their consultations as a chance to find out more about individual and social barriers to walking and cycling in the area. This led to the charity setting up a behaviour change project in partnership with Camglen Bike Town.

The project supported local people to be more active in their everyday trips. Cycle training for adults and young people gave locals the confidence to use bikes to get around the local area. Bike maintenance sessions and guided rides help to make sure that people had the skills and knowledge to ride safely and confidently.

“ At Bike Town, we believe local communities and the organisations representing them are ideally placed to facilitate walking and cycling activities that support the development of new cycling active travel infrastructure. ”

Jim Ewing, Senior Team Leader, Camglen Biketown

Partnership working

Urban Roots were well placed to lead on the community engagement but did not have experience of project managing significant construction projects.

To take the designs forward, Urban Roots engaged with Glasgow City Council and local regeneration agency Clyde Gateway This has resulted in Clyde Gateway applying for £50,000 of detailed and technical design funding through the Places for Everyone fund, to further develop Urban Roots’ concept design work.

Key Learning

Community organisations have key local contacts and an understanding of their local area. Local authorities could contract them to help with the planning of new routes or to encourage a more meaningful engagement process.

Community organisations may also have capacity to help drive local authority projects and foster local ownership.

This approach could be replicated through all stages of a project, from initial design creation to supporting activities after construction and ongoing maintenance.

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News News & Opinion

Why we need to adapt travel infrastructure for genuine sustainable travel choices

Case study photos taken as part of Bike Life Perth 2018 report Children

by Chiquita Elvin, Sustrans Scotland Infrastructure Manager, Places for Everyone

Our transport infrastructure and built environment needs to adapt in order to provide people with genuine sustainable travel choices.

We need fundamental changes to the way we travel.

In order to respond fully to the climate crisis we need to reduce our dependency on cars altogether, not simply change the type of cars we use. The importance of this cannot be over emphasised enough.

Too often electric cars are seen as the answer to how we respond to the climate crisis, be that as individuals or within the transport planning and design community.

But although electric vehicles appeal to our sense of newness and novelty, whilst keeping the status quo, they do not address a number of the key issues faced by professionals working to ensure climate adapted infrastructure is integrated into master planning and regeneration.

Ultimately, an electric car is still a car, and they impact on place, safety and sedentary lifestyles in the same way as conventional cars.

People need genuine sustainable travel choices

Our transport infrastructure and built environment needs to adapt in order to provide people with genuine sustainable travel choices. And not just in Scotland, but across the UK and across the rest of the world as well.

Not only would this bring many positive environmental impacts, from lowering net carbon emissions, reducing noise pollution and the environmental cost of building and maintaining news roads, but active and sustainable travel infrastructure offers improved health and economic benefits too.

Designing for everyone

In practice, this means accounting for the most vulnerable groups in society first in the design process. By designing our streets and public places to be accessible to all, we end up with places that work for everyone.

So, for example, if we make our footpaths safe, attractive and appropriate for the setting, then this has a knock on effect for other road users and the natural environment.

Slowing and/or reducing traffic volumes and the types of vehicles which use our streets then makes them safer and more pleasant for people to walk, wheel or cycle through.

Making sure we include green and blue infrastructure, such as trees, rain gardens or other sustainable urban drainage systems, means that our streets and public places are more pleasant to spend time in.

Thinking about the context

As planners and designers we must also consider the context in which people travel and how their lives can often dictate this. Responding to the needs of women as a group, for example, means taking into account travelling with children, fears around personal safety and recognising that women more often trip-chain than men.

By then, for example, ensuring there is widespread, affordable public transport which is more accommodating of all users, would provide people with a realistic option to leave their car at home for more (if not all) of the journeys they make every day.

Equally, creating an extensive network of continuous, safe walking and cycling routes in an urban area would enable parents with children, along with everyone else, to travel more actively and sustainably. This could be through addressing the way traffic flows through our streets, as above, or by incorporating protected cycle lanes where this is more appropriate.

The knock on effect of this would allow all groups access the vast range of benefits that active and sustainable travel brings. From a boost in health and wellbeing through increased physical activity, air pollution and carbon emission reduction, inclusivity, economic benefits (can we add a hyperlink?) and a number of other outcome areas.

The best way to ensure that future urban transport systems support people’s wellbeing, and support flourishing, healthy communities, is to invest in infrastructure that can be shown to make a positive impact.

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Behaviour Change Case Studies News

Changing travel behaviour in Clackmannan Town

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Clackmannan Development Trust was established to regenerate the town and make it a better place to live, work and visit.

A public consultation identified two key priorities for the group. Firstly, to make the town a more attractive place to spend time with and secondly, to improve links for people travelling by foot and bike.

A portion of £2.2million of funding was awarded to the Trust and Clackmannanshire Council through the closure of the local power station. This was used as match funding to work with Sustrans through its Places for Everyone fund.

This resulted in wider pavements, new trees planted, cycle parking installed and traffic restrictions at peak times outside Clackmannan Primary school.

Although the Trust’s remit was much wider than encouraging active travel in the town, they recognised how promoting walking and cycling activities could complement their other aims and objectives.

“The achievements of CDT to date and their ambitious but deliverable programme shows that when communities and local authorities work effectively together, even smaller communities can achieve sustainable and prosperous futures”

Alan Murray, Traffic & Transportation Team Leader

Transforming the school run

To help encourage children to travel actively to school along the new route, the Development Trust set up ‘Saddle Up Clackmannan’. This led to:

  • The training of six volunteer ride leaders, who lead monthly rides to promote local routes
  • Regular cycle confidence and maintenance sessions
  • A fleet of bikes available to borrow free of charge.

Inspired by the popularity of the project, the Trust then applied for funding from Smarter Choices Smarter Places Open Fund to employ an Active Travel Coordinator.

The Coordinator delivered in-depth, tailored behaviour change programmes throughout the town. This helped encourage all residents to travel by foot or bike for more of their everyday journeys. 

Key Learning
Photograph: Five children on bikes in front of Clackmannan Primary School
Interventions on Port Street made it easier for pupils at Clackmannan Primary to get to and from school on foot, by bike or by scooter

After a new route has been built, it is important to think about how people may be supported and encouraged to use it.

Community based organisations, such as Development Trusts or charities can be well placed to help.

These activities don’t have to be led by a group that only focus on cycling or physical activity.

Even if there are currently no cycling or walking groups in an area, it doesn’t mean that there is not the desire or capacity to carry out active travel activities. Organisations working in other sectors will also have local knowledge and could be well placed to lead on these.

Next steps

Through the regeneration of Clackmannan, the Trust have developed a strong working relationship with the Traffic and Transportation team at Clackmannanshire Council.

The two groups share a long term vision for active and sustainable travel in the community. The Trust are now working with the Council to see if it would be possible to create new paths linking Clackmannan to other towns.

By creating a culture where it is normal to travel by bike or on foot, the Trust hope to show there is local demand for these projects.

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Behaviour Change Case Studies News Places for Everyone

Reaching new audiences along the South City Way

Bike for Good, interior and exterior shots, Glasgow
Two women stand, talking at a counter in Bike for Good's shop. A third woman stands behind the counter smiling. The women to the left of the image is holding a green and white bike.
The new Bike for Good Hub provides servicing, repair and a community base

A proactive approach to reaching new audiences has seen a surge in the number of people trying cycling for the first time along the South City Way in Glasgow.

The South City Way project is a partnership between Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, funded through Transport Scotland. The 3km route, from Queen’s Park into the City Centre, seeks to rebalance the streets in favour of people walking and cycling and to make journeys in the area more pleasant.

Local charity Bike for Good were funded by Glasgow City Council to deliver behaviour change measures before and during construction of the project.

They offer bike recycling, cycle training, outreach activities and maintain the city’s Nextbike public bike hire fleet.

The charity has strong partnerships with local organisations around the cycle route and provided tailored support activities to different audiences. 

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Focused Impact

Bike for Good’s purpose was clear: to reach people new to cycling and help them to overcome their barriers to being more active.

By organising a wide range of events that mixed food, music, films and socialising they reached people who would not have been interested in purely cycling-focussed activities.

 As a result, two-thirds of cycling activity participants were new to cycling.

Removing barriers

A section of text is written on a blackboard: "Changing lives through cycling! Our Glasgow South Community Hib offers a range of services for..."
Bike for Good run a wide range of programmes from their two Glasgow centres

Bike for Good worked hard to make it easier for more people to come along to their engagement sessions.

The sessions are free to attend and the charity proactively took their services to different areas along the route. 

As well as reaching new audiences by partnering with other organisations working on health, integration and rehabilitation programmes, they offered activities for specific audiences including:

  • Women only rides and cycle skills training
  • Kids afterschool club with occasional trips away
  • “Spokes Not Blokes”, a monthly maintenance session for women and non-binary people

Finally, Bike for Good also ran a pilot project aimed at giving people affordable access to bikes. Aimed at people on low or no income and population groups who are less likely to cycle the “Bikes for All” pilot provided access to Glasgow’s Nextbike public hire scheme for £3 year – a discount of 95%.

This meant that as well as Bike for Good activities being accessible to a wider range of people, they have increased their understanding of ways to effectively encourage participation in cycling among under-represented and minority population groups.

In a two-year period (July 2017 – July 2019), 414 people were signed up, representing 8% of all new annual members of the nextbike scheme in Glasgow during this time. In the same period, 10,253 bike rentals were made by Bikes for All participants, representing 2.3% of all nextbike hires in Glasgow. (from the Bikes for All impact report, November 2019).

Key learning

Tapping in to existing social and support networks helps increase engagement with a bigger range of audiences, especially those who may be seldom heard.

Activities that encourage people to use new infrastructure should be tailored for different target groups or individuals. As a person starts to make more journeys by bike, their needs will change. This means that there needs to be a range of ways to support them.

Local Authority Support

Glasgow City Council provided funding to Bike for Good through Smarter Choices Smarter Places funding. This two year agreement has enabled them to provide a visible and welcoming community space to promote active travel to those living and working around this new route.

The targeted use of this fund to support this significant new route is to be commended. It has supported and complemented the  changes to the built environment carried out by Glasgow City Council and, by coming from a trusted, local organisation, will help lead to longer, more impactful changes in the community.

Key learning

Just as individuals will have specific active travel needs, different infrastructure projects will require different approaches to how they encourage people to walk and cycling more in the surrounding area.

Based on the reported success of Bike for Good’s activities, a relatively small investment in providing support activities can have a large impact. The number and type of people using the route will be key measures of success, so the benefits of supporting a wider audience to be cycle-ready are clear.