Imagine what could happen if we changed how we travel.
If we made getting around safer, easier, cheaper and fairer.
The 2026 Holyrood elections are just around the corner.
And we're calling on the next Scottish Government to take bold action – to enable more people than ever before to walk, wheel and cycle for their everyday journeys.
Because when we change how we travel, we change everything.
Our health. Our wellbeing. Our world.
Our 5 manifesto asks
#1 Boost investment in active travel
Match the leading cities and regions in Europe by committing 10% of the transport budget to support walking, wheeling and cycling.
By boosting investment in active travel and public transport together, we can create real travel choice for people across both urban and rural areas.
This will bring down the number of local car trips, helping us on our way to Net Zero.
Meanwhile walking, wheeling and cycling significantly improves our health and benefits the economy.
Investing in active travel is good news for everyone.
Every year walking, wheeling and cycling in Scotland's cities results in
£1.1 billion
in economic benefit
£53.6 million
saved for the NHS
4,251
serious long-term health conditions prevented
440,000
cars taken off the road every day
#2 Enable active journeys to school
Ensure every child can get to school safely with a choice to walk, wheel, cycle or scoot to and from the school gates.
Children and young people rely on walking, wheeling and cycling for their local journeys – particularly their journey to school.
We need to ensure that children across Scotland have safe routes.
And schools should be supported to help make this happen.
Children in Scotland want to walk, wheel and cycle more
84%
want more traffic-free paths and quiet routes for active travel
74%
say fewer cars on our streets would help them to cycle
Hazel, 12 years old, Dumfries and Galloway
I live in quite a rural area. Apart from some of the country
lanes, it’s hard to ride my bike because the larger roads
don’t feel safe. I cycle on the forestry tracks as they’re nice.
I don’t feel safe on my bike in the town centre, or riding
to town. The cars go too fast and there’s nowhere else to
ride because you’re not supposed to go on the pavement.
My dream town would have better places to ride bikes
and walk, with more trees and less cars as well.
#3 Empower Access Panels
Make Scotland’s transport networks, roads and pavements fully accessible for everyone by empowering local Access Panels.
Access Panels are advisory groups, led by disabled people.
Too many people face exclusion from simply getting around their local area – particularly those with disabilities and mobility challenges.
Embedding Access Panels in planning processes means we can create fairer streets for everyone.
Disabled people need a fairer deal
65%
of disabled people in the UK support giving funding to local councils to create access panels
52%
of disabled people in the UK would likely participate in a paid access panel
Joe, Edinburgh
I like walking around independently like a sighted person, but not all the time I can manage it, because, for example, on some pavements, the dropped kerb is not very obvious.
The other thing I think should be improved is that not all the traffic lights have the beeping sound in Edinburgh [...] the beeping sound is useful because it can help me to cross the road in a straight direction.
I think when the council or the organisations have meetings, they should ask some blind people to join in the meeting to give advice, or do testing by looking for some blind people to do it.
#4 Set up a Pavement Fund
Set up a Pavement Fund directed at key public places to improve and maintain access to public transport, jobs, shops, facilities and essential local services.
Whether it be your local high street, train station, bus stop or GP practice, everyone should be able to access their local services by walking or wheeling.
A ‘Pavement Fund’ is a dedicated pot of money that can be used to improve accessibility in these places we visit most.
This will help address transport poverty, which arises where people cannot get access to the daily amenities they need.
People want better pavements
74%
of Scottish city residents want better pavement accessibility, like level surfaces and dropped kerbs at crossings
79%
of disabled people in the UK would find creating a national pavement fund to maintain and improve pavements useful to walk or wheel more
#5 Connect Scotland via the National Cycle Network
Connect Scotland by joining together rural and urban areas with a network of safe walking, wheeling and cycling routes, through investing in the National Cycle Network.
The National Cycle Network is primed to be the cornerstone of a Scotland-wide network of active travel routes.
Already providing over 1,600 miles (2,606 km) of paths for walking, wheeling and cycling, the Network brings us closer to the people and places we love.
Expanding the National Cycle Network across rural and urban areas will connect communities and support them to thrive, sustainably.
And by linking with new development sites, the Network can connect new homes to safe active travel routes and public transport options.
The National Cycle Network is ready to connect Scotland
52 million
trips were taken on the NCN in Scotland in 2023
44%
of Scotland's population live within 1km of the NCN
61%
of the Scottish public surveyed in our 2023 YouGov survey agreed the NCN is a valuable national asset
Sound good? Show your support by lending your voice
Read our manifesto below and ask your local candidates how they will champion walking, wheeling and cycling in your community.
Find out who your local candidates are.