The Research and Monitoring Unit (RMU) at Sustrans have now published their report on the impact of the Places for Everyone programme, based on evaluation undertaken in the 2021-22 period.
Analysing data taken from 30 different projects across the history of the programme, and five case studies evaluated during 2021-22, the findings demonstrate how the Places for Everyone programme is continuing to deliver safer and more accessible walking, wheeling, and cycling opportunities across Scotland.
Following improvements to Lower Granton Road, 97% of users said that the path felt safe during the day with 89% agreeing the route felt safe with regard to motor traffic. Credit: Colin Hattersley/Sustrans, 2018.
The five new project case studies featured within the 2021-22 report include path improvements introduced along Lower Granton Road in Edinburgh, as well as an evaluation of the Lochindaal Way, a new traffic-free active travel route connecting two rural Islay communities.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the delivery and subsequent monitoring of Places for Everyone projects, the scope and focus of the 2021-22 report was strategically altered to prioritise case study evaluation.
Nonetheless, these results clearly show the value Places for Everyone projects have brought to local communities across the country and how the programme is delivering on Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Outcomes.
All cyclists interviewed and most of pedestrians felt either safe or very safe when using the protected junctions on the South City Way. Credit: McAteer/Sustrans, 2023.
To read the Places for Everyone 2021-22 Infrastructure Impact Summary Report, click on either of the links below:
To receive further information and access to the full Places for Everyone 2021-22 Infrastructure Impact Report please contact rory.mitchell@sustrans.org.uk
Making it easier and safer for people to travel actively is vital for increasing the number of everyday walking, wheeling, and cycling journeys.
This means ensuring that everyone, including those groups that are most vulnerable on the road, are adequately protected.
For example, children and young people.
Places for Everyone is working with partners across Scotland to ensure that the routes we deliver are accessible and intuitive for all ages and abilities.
The Walk Cycle Live Stirling project is an excellent example of how bold yet careful designs can be used to prioritise the needs of young Scots.
Routes to success
As the main connecting route between the city centre and university, Causewayhead has massively benefitted from accessible cycling infrastructure. Copyright: Sustrans, 2023.
Children and young people regularly make essential active journeys as part of their everyday lives.
From going to and from school to seeing friends and family, walking wheeling and cycling are the earliest available modes which allow children and young people to travel independently.
Currently under construction, the £9.5m Stirling project will soon deliver an extensive network of new walking, wheeling, and cycling links across the city.
This will not only facilitate more active journeys between residential areas, transport hubs, as well as retail and hospitality venues but also key destinations for education and learning.
Traffic-calming measures and landscaping improvements have made Albert Place a more welcoming and enjoyable place for all ages. Copyright: Sustrans, 2023.
Delivered in partnership with Stirling Council, Walk Cycle Live Stirling proposes to create two major routes:
Route one, dubbed the University route, will provide a safe and accessible route between Stirling Train station and the University of Stirling, taking in iconic landmarks like Old Stirling Bridge and the National Wallace Monument along the way.
Route two, the College Route, aims to bridge the gaps between Forth Valley College and the City Centre along Albert Place, Dumbarton Road and Raploch Road, passing under the impressive shadow of Stirling Castle.
The new segregated cycle lane along Dumbarton road helps keep young people safe from heavy traffic and encourages active journeys to and from Forth Valley College. Copyright: Sustrans, 2023.
Each of these strategic corridors has been designed to be largely segregated from the traffic via physical barriers, providing comfort and reassurance for all users.
Generational change
Healthier than other modes, travelling by bike is also often cheaper more affordable than public transport and private vehicle use.
Factors such as these are ones which young adults, in particular, benefit from.
Alex Avallone, a recent graduate from the University of Stirling, shared their thoughts on what the project could mean for current and prospective students in the years to come:
“I didn’t cycle when I was studying, mostly because the roads were too busy and I didn’t feel confident doing so. I took the bus or walked. Now, I hope a lot of people will think twice and choose to cycle instead”
Alex Avallone, Graduate, The University of Stirling
Katherine Henebry, Senior Grant Advisor at Sustrans, has been working on Walk Cycle Live Stirling throughout its construction, and has high hopes for its grand opening:
“After completion, children and young people can safely travel independently along two key corridors in Stirling. These routes are a new start for foundational memories to be made – on the journey to school, as well as in the broader exploration of their hometown’s rich history and environment. We’re so proud to have worked with Stirling Council to make these journeys a reality”
Katherine Henebry, Senior Grant Advisor, Sustrans
Due be complete by Summer 2024, Walk Cycle Live Stirling is set to connect communities in the city and surrounding areas through active travel in a major way. This will be particularly transformative for children and young people.
The project received £7.1m in funding from Places for Everyone, as well as £2.5m of Scottish Government investment from the City Region Deal and £258k from Stirling Council’s developer contributions allocation.
Thank you to all those who have continued to submit monthly financial information via the new portal system. If you have not done so, please bring your forecasting up to date as a matter of urgency.
As previously communicated, grants for 2023/24 cannot be accrued into 2024/25. Therefore, Places for Everyone must understand any need to carry forward grant by 31st October 2023, in order to request additional funds from the 2024/25 budget.
Should you incur an un-forecasted underspend in the current financial year (2023/24) and require additional funds in 2024/25, your request will only be considered once all other projects have received funding.
Concept and Design Funding
The application portal will be open for applications for funding towards Concept (Stages 0-2) and Design (Stages 3-4), for both new and existing projects, from the 29th November 2023.
Only Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Park Associations will be eligible to apply for funding towards new projects at this time; however existing projects being progressed by other organisations will continue to be supported and will be able to access funding for subsequent project stages.
The table below outlines the key dates for Decision Making Panels to be held in March and June 2024.
For existing projects, to ensure adequate time for final deliverables to be assessed and feedback provided, a prior deadline for submission for stage review has been set. This change will mean that the application for a continuation of funding will be greatly simplified, assuming all previous deliverables have been submitted to your Grant Advisor.
As with previous years, we are unable to publish an exact date for award of funding. However, we have aligned the assessment and decision-making process with when we expect to receive confirmation of funding from Transport Scotland and hope to be able to confirm the first wave of funding before Easter 2024.
Funding will continue to be awarded towards the same groups of stages. However, in line with recent communications from Transport Scotland, all funding will need to be spent by 31st March 2025. Funding for activities to complete the relevant stage group (Stages 2 or 4) in the 2025/26 financial year will, however, be awarded in principle.
Table of Decision Making Panels
Please note dates marked with an * have been altered due to our ongoing funding discussions with Transport Scotland. Dates may be subject to further change as our discussions progress. We’ll notify you as soon as any changes are confirmed.
2024
10th January
2024/25 Application Deadline (Round 1)
28th March*
Stages 3-4 Panel
March-April
Stages 3-4 Grant Awards Announced
10th April
Grant claim deadline for 2023/24 projects
15th April*
Open for 2024/25 Round 2 Applications (Stages 3-4 only. At this time, we do not expect to have another Stage 0-2 grant for funding this financial year)
19th April*
Deadline to submit deliverables for Stage Review for projects moving to Stages 3-4 (Round 2)
TBC*
Stages 0-2 Round 1 Grant Awards Announced
6th May*
2024/25 Application Deadline (Round 2)
24th June
Stages 3-4 Panel
TBC*
Stages 3-4 Grant Awards Announced
Dates have been updated in April 2024
Construction Funding
As part of the ongoing Transport Scotland Active Travel Transformation Project (ATTP), the award of new construction funding will be made directly by Transport Scotland from 2024/25 onwards. All new construction applications from Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Park Associations should now be directed to the ATTP Fund for 2024/25, more on which will be communicated once Transport Scotland has shared further information.
Organisations other than the above will be eligible to receive construction funding via Places for Everyone during 2024/25, decisions on which will be made on the basis of Extraordinary Decision Making Panels. If this applies to your project, please discuss this with your Grant Advisor and submit an outline request to PlacesForEveryone@Sustrans.org.uk, confirming when you expect to submit your final stage 4 deliverables for review.
Places for Everyone will continue to fund existing construction commitments and any existing commitments made in principle, through to completion.
Places for Everyone will continue to support change controls to existing commitments.
Increasing walking, wheeling, and cycling are all great ways improve physical and mental health.
However, active journeys are also a key part of the national response to the climate emergency, and our overall ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions.
Through Places for Everyone, Sustrans is working with partners all across Scotland to deliver safe and accessible active travel infrastructure.
This includes new connections linking up isolated rural communities as well as expansive city-wide networks to help people get where they need to go.
As part of this, we want to ensure that every one of our projects is delivered in as sustainable a way as possible to reduce our own carbon emissions.
So how can we do it?
Outlining the techniques
How we approach the design and procurement of construction materials during project delivery can have a big impact on our carbon output.
When delivering infrastructure, it is helpful to think about what we can avoid, what we switch to as an alternative, and also what we can improve in the process.
What to avoid
Reducing the need for new construction can significantly increase project sustainability.
This might mean finding different ways to meet your goals without building new infrastructure at all, or by simply making the most out of what already exists through reuse or repurposing.
This approach encourages us to think creatively and sustainably to minimize new constructions.
Utilising existing pathways: Before considering new constructions, explore if there are existing pathways that can be renovated or repurposed to suit the needs of the project. This might include old railway paths commonly used by the National Cycle Network, or old bridges that are no longer suitable for heavy vehicles but can carry lower loads.
Multi-purpose facilities: Rather than building new assets, we can design spaces that serve multiple purposes, thus reducing the overall need for new constructions.
Community Engagement: Engaging with the community can sometimes reveal alternatives and local insights that help in avoiding new constructions. For instance, local communities might propose efficient ways to repurpose existing assets that outsiders might not be aware of.
Forres Roysvale Park
In partnership with Moray Council, the Forres Roysvale Park project shows how excess road space can be used to implement sustainable drainage solutions. By narrowing the existing carriageway, a 3-metre-wide shared use path was introduced alongside tactical rain gardens. This not only provided a safe and direct link between Forres Academy and Applegrove primary and nearby residential areas, but also served to alleviate surface water issues.
Where to switch
Opting for alternatives without compromising on quality can result in major savings to your carbon footprint.
This might involve changing the project scope, redesigning the approach, choosing different materials, or technologies that are more eco-friendly.
Sustainable Materials: Using recycled or recovered materials can significantly reduce the carbon emissions associated with the production of new materials.
Low Carbon Technologies: Leveraging technologies that are more energy-efficient or that have a lower environmental impact, e.g., using electric plant vehicles used in construction.
Nature-Based Solutions: Taking advantage of nature-based solutions, like creating green corridors which not only facilitate active travel but also enhance biodiversity.
Permeable pavements: Using permeable pavements can aid in water management, reducing the need for separate drainage systems.
Loans to Troon Railway
In partnership with South Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire Roads Alliance, an all-new traffic-free route to join the settlements of Loans and Troon was completed in 2023. As well as providing a key active travel link, the Loans to Troon route is notable for being constructed from almost entirely recycled paving materials. This serves to create an affordable, long-lasting but also sustainable connection between key trip generators, such as Marr College and Troon train station.
How to improve
Increasing the sustainability of the materials being used for construction can sway the carbon output of a project significantly.
This can involve thinking about the longevity and durability of the materials being used and, ultimately, planning for its reuse or recycling.
Circular Economy Principles: Applying circular economy principles might mean designing assets that can be easily dismantled and the materials reused or recycled, thereby reducing waste.
Long-life, low maintenance materials: Reducing the need to maintain and increasing time before resurfacing is needed in the future will help reducing carbon emitted during the lifetime of an asset.
Native landscaping: Integrate local plants alongside paths. These require less water and maintenance, sequester carbon, and enhance the appeal of the path, encouraging more use.
Inclusive Design and Aesthetic Design: Ensuring the pathway is accessible to people of all ages and abilities not only promotes inclusivity but also encourages more people to use the pathway, potentially reducing carbon emissions from reduced car use. Making the pathway attractive, possibly through the inclusion of art installations or well-designed green spaces, can encourage more people to use it, fostering a sense of community while also reducing carbon emissions through reduced car usage.
Roseburn to Union Canal
With the City of Edinburgh Council, work is underway to link the Union Canal with the North Edinburgh Path Network via a new traffic-free route. Inaccessible areas of decaying shrubland will be restored via tree planting and community gardens. This not only delivers a valuable connection from north to south, but also a new green corridor.
The above guidelines have been categorised according to the PAS 2080 Carbon Management in Infrastructure standard, which supports organisations wanting to lower emissions from their construction activities.
In our major cities, this figure rises to 46% of households in Glasgow and Dundee, and 41% in Edinburgh.
So what can we do to give everyone in Scotland fairer choices in how they get around? And how are we supporting communities in moving towards lower carbon, healthier and happier journeys?
Convenient access to transport hubs plays a key role in how people choose to make everyday journeys. Credit: Sustrans (2023).
Increasing and improving the opportunities to walk, wheel and cycle for short, everyday journeys has a huge role to play.
But good, reliable public transport is vital for longer journeys to work, education, everyday amenities, and friends.
And most of these longer journeys already start and end with a walk, wheel or cycle to a stop or station.
With Scotland aiming to reduce car kilometres travelled by 20 per cent by 2030, we take a look at some of the ways we’re better connecting walking, wheeling and cycling with public transport across Scotland and making it easier to leave the car at home.
Stirling train station transformation
The regeneration of Stirling train station is a primary example of how access to train stations can be dramatically improved for walking, wheeling, and cycling.
More than 200 bike spaces a now available at Stirling station, including for cargo bikes and adapted cycles. Credit: Sustrans (2023).
With funding provided through Places for Everyone and working closely with ScotRail, the ambitious £5m Stirling Station Gateway project delivered a complete re-design of the station forecourt.
Completed in June 2023, major changes include widened footways, comfortable seating areas, landscaping works, as well as improved signage and wayfinding points.
Another key feature is the increased provision of secure covered cycle storage, offering more than 140 additional cycle parking spaces and increasing the total number of cycle spaces at the station to more than 200.
A large portion of the space required for these improvements was been created via changes to the carriageway and the reallocation of the taxi rank to an adjacent street.
Importantly, access for blue badge holders has been entirely retained at the station, with additional spaces even being provided.
Perhaps one of the biggest successes of the project, however, is how well it interconnects with the wider Walk Cycle Live Stirling project via segregated cycleways along Gooscroft Road.
Taken together, all this has helped transform the area from an unappealing vehicle-dominated environment to one which creates space for safer, and more accessible active travel options.
Bike spaces on Borders buses
Bike storage on the X62 service, serving the Tweed Valley and Scottish Borders.
The work which Sustrans delivered with Borders Buses highlights how public transport can assist cyclists in making longer journeys without having to leave the bike behind.
With the novel creation of bike storage spaces on board, the X62 service, which serves Tweed Valley and the Scottish Borders, was able to become a fully bike-friendly route.
This involved retrofitting bike storage onto buses so that every bus operating on the X62 route would have space for a minimum of two bikes.
It also involved a change in livery, marketing and promotional materials with the aim to increase the catchment area of the bus service.
The money Sustrans provided resulted in a fully bike-friendly bus service that runs from Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders. By making buses bike-friendly, they become accessible to more people.
Carole Patrick, Portfolio Director at Sustrans Scotland, Minister for Active Travel, Patrick Harvie MSP, City Convener for Transport Cllr. Angus Millar, and representatives from community organisations attend the South City Way celebration event.
The South City Way has hit a major milestone by reaching Glasgow city centre.
To mark the occasion, the 2.5km route was officially opened by the Minister for Active Travel and members of the community on the 6 July 2023.
The fully-segregated, two-way cycle path has provided a high quality, direct and safe link between Glasgow’s southside and the city centre.
It’s making it easier than ever for more people in the area to leave the car at home and make healthier and happier everyday journeys.
The route is also expected to benefit trade through improved access to the area.
The project was made possible by over £3.5 million of funding from the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone/Community Links PLUS programme.
Glasgow City Council used their own funding as a partial match, bringing the project total to around £7m.
Construction work started on the project in December 2017 and was completed up to the Clyde in June 2023.
What is the South City Way?
The new segregated route has created a vital and accessible active travel link for local communities.
The South City Way has connected key destinations such as hospitals and medical centres, parks, businesses, academic institutions and places of worship along the cycling corridor.
The project has also improved access to public transport in the area.
To make it safer and easier to walk and wheel, pavements have been resurfaced along large parts of the route, with new crossing points installed, existing crossings improved and traffic speeds slowed through the addition of raised tables on side roads.
These changes will make everyday walking, wheeling and cycling journeys safer, easier and more convenient for everyone.
This opens up the possibility of longer trips heading east from Glasgow to Uddingston, East Kilbride and Rutherglen, and west to Clydebank, Bowling, Dumbarton, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.
The South City Way has connected key destinations such as hospitals and medical centres, parks, businesses, academic institutions and places of worship along the cycling corridor. Credit: Sustrans/McAteer Photography
An innovative approach to active travel infrastructure
These were the first protected junctions trialled in Scotland.
Protected junctions are road junctions that separate people travelling on foot, by cycle, and in vehicles.
The trial was successful, with our Research and Monitoring Unit finding that between March 2019 and September 2021, the total cycle traffic through the junctions almost doubled.
More than 935,000 cycle journeys have now been recorded on Glasgow’s South City Way cycle route in the past two years.
A project with community at its heart
The South City Way is about much more than the new connection to the city centre.
Businesses, community organisations and individuals have been at the heart of the project from the outset.
The creation of a Community Projects Trail featuring murals, bike locking facilities, planters and much more was supported by the South City Way Small Grants Fund and led by local groups.
This has helped make the active travel corridor an attractive, inclusive and welcoming space for everyone.
Representatives from the Hidden Gardens, Govanhill Baths Trust, Bike for Good, South Seeds and Crossroads Youth and Community Association joined the Minister for Active Travel, Patrick Harvie MSP, and officials from Glasgow City Council and Sustrans Scotland to celebrate the South City Way launch event on 6 July.
Businesses, community organisations and individuals have been at the heart of the project from the outset. Credit: Sustrans/McAteer Photography
A cause for celebration
Speaking ahead of the event, Minister for Active Travel, Patrick Harvie MSP, said:
“I’m pleased to welcome the completion of the South City Way to Glasgow City centre.
We will soon see over a million cycle journeys on this new active travel corridor, which is yet another example of segregated infrastructure making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys.
With the eyes of the world on Scotland for the first ever UCI 2023 Cycling World Championships, it’s schemes like this which demonstrate the shared intent of Government and Local Authorities to make cycling safer and more convenient as a means of everyday transport.
For our health, wellbeing and environment, our ambition to deliver more infrastructure like this, right across the country, has never been higher.
That’s why the Scottish Government has committed to spending at least £320 million, or 10% of the total transport budget, on active travel by 2024‑25.”
Patrick Harvie MSP, Minister for Active Travel
Councillor Angus Millar highlighted the newly released cycle journey figures as clear evidence of the demand for improved cycling infrastructure in Glasgow:
“It’s great to see the difference the South City Way is making to cycling in the southside area of Glasgow.
The cycle journey figures are remarkable and show without doubt that people want to get about Glasgow more sustainably when infrastructure is available for them to do so.
Now that the South City Way has reached the city centre, I am confident the number of people cycling on the route will continue to grow.
Concerns about safety are the number one barrier to cycling and our work to ensure safe, segregated routes in all areas of Glasgow will support more people to choose cycling for everyday journeys across the city.
We will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government, Sustrans and communities across Glasgow as we deliver our commitment to create a comprehensive City Network for active travel over the course of the decade.”
Cllr Angus Millar, Glasgow City Council
Carole Patrick, Portfolio Director for Sustrans Scotland, added:
“The South City Way is about so much more than the new safe and direct connection to the city centre.
Working in partnership with Glasgow City Council through our Scottish Government-funded Places for Everyone programme, we are so proud of the fact that local communities have been at the heart of the project.
Businesses, community organisations and individuals have really embraced the opportunities for the southside.
The community-led projects supported by the Small Grants Fund have had such a powerful impact in making the South City Way corridor an attractive, inclusive and welcoming space for everyone.
Putting communities at the heart of projects and investing in safe, high-quality infrastructure which makes it easier to leave the car at home and walk, wheel or cycling for everyday journeys is a winning combination.
Monitoring in 2019 and 2021, before and after the innovative protected junctions were installed, recorded a 100% increase in cycling journeys – and recent sensor figures show that the South City Way is supporting and encouraging more and more people to make healthier and happier journey choices.
“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to build on the success of the South City Way and make it easier for even more people to walk, wheel and cycle.”
ArtRoots, supported by funding from the Scottish Government through Sustrans, works in partnership with local community groups to make artistic and aesthetic improvements in conjunction with PfE infrastructure projects in Scotland.
Do you have a PfE infrastructure project that could benefit from some artistic input?
Think about your project, is it community-led?
Are you a community organisation? To process an application we would need to see: 1. A signed constitution and 2. the required number of board members in accordance with your constitution.
Do you think that the inclusion of an artwork could help the local community to become more interested in the project?
Will an artwork such as a mural, sculpture or decorative seating for example encourage your local community to walk, wheel or cycle along your new path?
Find out more about the ArtRoots to see how your project could benefit and download the guidelines and application forms below
A new off-road shared-use path between the county town of Peebles and the satellite village of Eddleston in the Scottish Borders officially opened on the 17th June 2023.
Spanning 6km in length, the Eddleston Water Path provides a convenient and accessible route for local people and visitors to the area to walk, wheel and cycle between the settlements, connecting communities, businesses and key services like never before.
The new path will also benefit equestrians in the area, providing a safe and more relaxed riding experience set back from the road.
Construction work started on the project in late 2021 and was completed in early June 2023.
Community ambition in action
From the very beginning, the Eddleston Water Path project has been shaped by the ambitions of the local community.
Local groups and campaigners were instrumental in calling for improved active travel infrastructure in the area, having spent years promoting their vision for a healthier and more sustainable future.
Engagement with those living and working in the area helped ensure the success of the project from the outset. Credit: Scottish Borders Council, 2023.
Peebles Community Trust (PCT) led the design of the project once funding was secured, and feedback was gathered at every stage to ensure the Eddleston Water Path reflected the needs and wants of residents.
This approach has resulted in the creation of a well-loved community asset which has provided affordable access to employment opportunities, key services and treasured greenspace.
Accessibility for everyone
Before the Eddleston Water Path was constructed, travelling between Peebles and Eddleston was only possible via a busy and fast-moving road.
Now complete, the project provides an alternative route where all residents and visitors to the area, regardless of age or ability, have the option to leave the car at home and walk, wheel and cycle instead.
Large sections of the road running alongside the route are national speed limit, making physical segregation vital. Credit: Scottish Borders Council, 2023.
To futureproof the project, flood mitigation and measures to increase biodiversity were built into the designs.
The path has also contributed to the areas extensive network of paths for leisure and riding, linking into a wider network that includes the existing Tweed Valley Railway Path to the south.
A cause for celebration
The Eddleston Water Path was officially opened on the 17th June 2023 at an event attended by local residents, project partners and elected representatives.
Following a series of speeches, a piped procession was laid on for those in attendance before the ribbon was cut by local primary school student Conor.
Local turned out in number to take part in the festivities, providing the perfect opportunity to test out the new route. Credit: Scottish Borders Council, 2023.
Speaking ahead of the event, Councillor John Greenwell, Executive Member for Roads & Maintenance, said:
“I am absolutely delighted that the new Eddleston Water Path has been completed and that members of the public are now making use of the route.”
“This project has been a true collaborative effort, with thanks to the Scottish Government and SOSE for their financial support in helping make this project a reality and also to the Community Council’s and Trust’s from both Peebles and Eddleston for their support and tireless efforts.”
“A dedicated path will ensure the safety of residents and visitors to the area whilst also encouraging others to choose more active methods of travel between the two settlements.”
Cllr John Greenwell, Scottish Borders Council
Director at Sustrans Scotland, Karen McGregor, added:
“We’re very pleased the Eddleston Water Path is now open to the public.”
“This new route creates a vital traffic-free space for walking, wheeling and cycling between Peebles and Eddleston, enabling residents and visitors to the area to travel actively while accessing key services and local greenspace.”
“We hope the new path makes it safer and easier for lots more people to leave the car at home for short everyday journeys.”
Karen McGregor, Scotland Director, Sustrans
SOSE Chair, Professor Russel Griggs, said:
“SOSE is committed through all we do to supporting a Wellbeing Economy and all the positive things that it brings for communities.”
“The new Eddleston Water Path is a fantastic example of this approach, encouraging local people and visitors to get active and help address issues such as fuel poverty and community isolation and improve resident’s health and wellbeing.”
Located in a residential area to the east of the town, Papdale Park encompasses a sprawling network of meandering paths and modern landscaping initiatives that have truly transformed the space for the better.
Delivered by Orkney Islands Council in partnership with Sustrans through Places for Everyone, Papdale Park provides the Kirkwall community yet another place to enjoy for the year ahead.
Key features of the park include a deculverted burn, an array of walking, wheeling, and cycling routes, as well as native shrubs and trees, and a wildflower meadow for enhanced biodiversity.
Landscaping iniatatives such as a deculvated burn were incorporated into the designs of the park. Credit: Orkney Islands Council, 2022.
This is topped off with a stunning community plaza and new road crossing linking the park to Kirkwall Grammar School to ensure trips are as safe and accessible as possible.
Further excitement still awaits, however, as this only marks the completion of the first phase of the Papdale Park project.
Once funding is secured through Places for Everyone for the second phase of work, plans can begin to take shape for the creation of an all-ages-and-abilities play park for local residents to enjoy.
A community vision
Plans for the Papdale Park originated from a series of engagement sessions held in 2018, delivered by Orkney Islands Council as part of the Your Kirkwall Place Plan.
During these sessions, local community group Papdale East Play Association (PEPA) brought forward a range of ideas on how to improve the existing but dilapidated play park, complementing neatly with the wider aspirations of the community.
A meandering network of paths provides a safe and accessible route to school for pupils of the local Papdale Primary and Kirkwall Grammer Schools. Credit: Orkney Islands Council, 2022.
The project was also borne out of the Council’s Play Area Strategy, which identified Papdale East as an area where opportunities for play were in need of improvement.
On these solid foundations, emerging plans were then carefully shaped in accordance with considered community feedback in order to ensure the best design possible was ultimately produced.
The resulting blueprints laid out an ambitious vision for a new community greenspace for people of all ages to enjoy, smartly futureproofed against the impacts of climate change, changing technology, and an anticipated rise in active travel.
A memorable occasion
Despite being informally open since the end of last year, local Orcadians turned out in good number to see the ribbon cutting and Papdale Park officially opened.
Held on Friday 21st April, a series of speeches and guided ecology walks were available to those in attendance. Free cycle servicing and an e-bike display were also provided to attendees.
Local residents and project partner representatives turned out on the day to see the ribbon cutting. Credit: Orkeny Photography, 2023
PEPA, who were instrumental in the design and engagement of the Papdale Park project, were also on hand to provide refreshments, a bake sale, and a special treasure hunt.
Karen McGregor, Scotland Director at Sustrans, was delighted with the collective effort that went into making the park possible. She said:
“Papdale Park is a project designed by and for the local community, which is what underpins its success.
At every step and pedal of the way, we engaged closely with residents to find out what they wanted and how they wanted it.
We are grateful for all the input received and look forward to seeing work continue to ensure Papdale Park remains a much-loved local landmark for generations to come.”
Karen McGregor, Scotland Director, Sustrans
The ribbon itself was cut by Orkney Islands Council Convener Graham Bevan. Flanked by pupils attending from Papdale Primary School, he said:
It is an honour to be asked to perform the official opening of this new, much improved community park space within Kirkwall which is for everyone to enjoy.
“It is so important to retain green spaces within our towns as we all know how important getting outdoors, enjoying some fresh air, exercise, greenery and wildlife is to our physical and mental wellbeing.”
Graham Bevan, Convener, Orkney Islands Council
Building on success
Papdale Park marks the third major project to be delivered on Orkney in quick succession through Places for Everyone.
The Places and Spaces project helped deliver key street layout changes to make getting in and around Kirkwall town centre safer and easier.
Sustrans also worked closely with Orkney Island Council to complete the development of the Arcadia Park, which provides an attractive path network and landscaped link to Balfour Hospital to the south.
Arcadia Park opened in the south of Kirkwall in 2022, providing a lushious greenspace for active travel and relaxation. Credit: Sustrans, 2022.
£670,000 was allocated for the Papdale Park project, provided by Orkney Islands Council, NatureScot’s Biodiversity Challenge Fund, and Places for Everyone, an active travel infrastructure programme funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans.
Additional funding for the project came from a Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes grant allocation and the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund. Design work was funded by HITRANS.
Staff and volunteers from Glasgow's Hidden Garden set up planters off Victoria Road as part of the South City Way Small Grants Scheme, funded by Sustrans and Glasgow City Council
The 2020/21 evaluation report published today provides evidence on the key impacts of the Places for Everyone grant fund, and demonstrates the contributions of the programme to the outcomes set out in Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Framework.
The report also highlights how the programme performed during the pandemic and the baseline monitoring currently being undertaken for projects in the design stage.
The Places for Everyone programme is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans.
The programme is open to a range of organisations in Scotland – including local authorities and community groups – that enables the creation of active travel infrastructure.
In addition to funding, the programme also provides advice and support to partners on establishing safe, attractive, healthier places in our urban and rural areas.
There are currently around 250 projects in place or in development as part of the Places for Everyone programme.
Impact of the programme
The report aggregated data from projects across the lifespan of the Places for Everyone programme up to and including the 2020/21 funding year. This includes Sustrans Scotland’s previous Community Links and Community Links Plus grant funds.
One of the key findings is that walking, wheeling, and cycling numbers increased after the completion of infrastructure projects.
Results from an analysis of 30 projects showed a 54% average estimated rise in active travel trips after initial delivery.
Further study showed that the increase in active travel was sustained one year after delivery, with 24 projects averaging a 37% increase in trips.
The 2020/21 evaluation report provides evidence on the key impacts of the Places for Everyone grant fund and demonstrates the contributions of the programme to the outcomes set out in Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Framework.
The monitoring also suggests that the programme led to an improvement in the perception of safety among both pedestrians and cyclists.
This was particularly evident among groups who traditionally regard safety as a barrier to active travel, including women, the elderly and disabled people.
Local people’s perceptions of community involvement in planned Places for Everyone projects were equally encouraging.
In Glasgow, a survey of 984 local residents found that 71% felt the Connecting Woodside project would either greatly or slightly improve the sense of community in their area.
Monitoring and evaluation during the pandemic
Results show that Places for Everyone projects were particularly beneficial to communities in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The programme helped mitigate against some of the impacts at local level by providing safe active travel options for key workers and others.
The projects saw increases in walking, wheeling and cycling during a period of unparalleled societal change.
In Edinburgh, for example, the Innocent Railway path project saw a 344% growth in cycling between 2014 and during the pandemic in 2020.
The report aggregated data from projects across the lifespan of the Places for Everyone programme up to and including the 2020/21 funding year.
Looking ahead
The Places for Everyone programme is committed to enabling more people in Scotland to walk, wheel and cycle for their everyday journeys.
The Research and Monitoring Unit are continuing to monitor a sample of projects currently at design stage, and will update their analysis with projects from 2021/22 and 2022/23.
Planned work includes upgrading active travel routes, improvements to public spaces in our towns and cities, connecting communities and key hubs and addressing local safety issues.
This highlights the variety in the programme’s work, with projects ranging from rural to urban and village to city.
It also evidences Places for Everyone’s contributions to wider development projects such as local masterplans and flood defence schemes.
One of the key findings is that walking, wheeling, and cycling numbers increased after the completion of infrastructure projects.
Nigel Donnell from Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Unit, said:
“We’re really pleased to be able to share this evaluation report. It highlights that the Places for Everyone programme is helping people throughout Scotland to walk, wheel and cycle for more of their everyday journeys.
We are really proud of everything it has achieved so far, and with around 250 projects in place or in development the fund will continue to play an important role in creating safer, more attractive, healthier, and inclusive communities.
We’d like to thank Transport Scotland for providing the funding to facilitate the Places for Everyone fund, and our delivery partners whose hard work has ensured the success of the programme”.
The full report is available on request, if you would like to find out more contact nigel.donnell@sustrans.org.uk.
