Transport Scotland Active Travel funding: FOI release

Information requested

To request detail of organisations which have received grants from the Scottish Government, via Transport Scotland, in the past 8 years, to:

1. Purchase cycling equipment, including cycles

2. Maintain cycles

3. Increase access to cycling in local communities

I am only seeking this information for the following local authority areas:

• West Dunbartonshire
• Renfrewshire
• Inverclyde
• East Dunbartonshire
• Glasgow
• East Renfrewshire
• North Ayrshire

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the format you asked for. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested as FOISA exemptions apply. The use of these exemptions is explained further at relevant sections below. The exemptions that apply are 17(1) ‘information not held’ and 25(1) ‘information otherwise accessible’.

Financial Years 2024-2025 & 2025-2026 – New Sustainable and Active Travel Funding Model

We have interpreted your request for information from “the past 8 years” to mean from financial years 2018-19 to 2025-26. This time frame covers a change in the funding model from national level funding of mostly third sector delivery partners, to a devolved funding model with funding awarded directly to Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) under the People and Place Programme (P&P).

People and Place Programme (Financial Years 2025-26 and 2024-25)

With an approach grounded in behavioural science, the People and Place (P&P) programme maximises the impact of transport planning and infrastructure through supporting a breadth of place-based work, blending both social and physical interventions. The P&P programme is delivered through dedicated Transport Scotland funding to the nation’s seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs).

The local authority areas covered in your request are under Strathclyde Transport Partnership (SPT)’s jurisdiction as they are the RTP for this region.

In financial year 2025-26, organisations funded by SPT in the 7 Local Authority areas that relate to the FOI request, up to October 2025, are:

• Cycling Scotland
• Cycling UK
• Renfrewshire Council,
• NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
• Inverclyde Council
• Scottish Cycling
• Belleville Community Garden Trust
• East Dunbartonshire Council
• Lenzie Rugby Football Club
• Bike for Good
• Glasgow Eco Trust
• Women on Wheels
• St Pauls Youth Forum
• Drumchapel Cycle Hub
• Scottish Cycling
• Parents for Future Scotland
• Living Lab CIC
• Ebike Freedom CIC
• Toryglen Community Youth Project
• Boots and Beards
• Glasgow School of Art
• Hillpark Secondary School Parent Council
• Castlemilk Youth Complex
• North Glasgow Loading Bay
• Circle Scotland CIC
• North Ayrshire Council

In financial year 2024-25, organisations funded by SPT in the 7 Local Authority areas that relate to the FOI request were:

• Cycling Scotland
• Cycling UK
• Renfrewshire Council
• Scottish Cycling
• East Dunbartonshire Council
• Sustrans
• Bike for Good
• NextBike
• Drumchapel Cycle Hub
• Women on Wheels
• North Ayrshire Council

In both financial years above Transport Scotland provided funding directly to Cycling Scotland for the delivery of Bikeability Scotland training.

Local Authority Direct Award (Financial Years 2025-2026 and 2024-2025)

The Local Authority Direct Award is a grant provided directly to all 32 local authorities on a pro-rata basis.

The funding is being used to support sustainable and active travel behaviour change initiatives.

The reporting requirements for this fund mean that Local Authorities are not expected to provide Transport Scotland with details of organisations they fund. Therefore, section 17(1) of FOISA ‘information not held’ applies here. We do however hold some of the information requested as some Local Authorities have provided this information voluntarily.

In financial year 2025-26, organisations funded relating to the request in the 7 Local Authority areas, up to October 2025, are:

• Love to Ride
• Better Points
• Beat the Streets
• Dalry Men’s Shed
• Girdle Toll Men’s shed
• Trinity Bike Fleet
• West Dunbartonshire Council
• Renfrewshire Council
• Inverclyde Council
• East Dunbartonshire Council
• Glasgow City Council
• East Renfrewshire Council
• North Ayrshire Council

In financial year 2024-25, organisations funded relating to the request, in the 7 Local Authority areas were:

• Beat the Streets
• Love to Ride
• West Dunbartonshire Council
• Renfrewshire Council
• Inverclyde Council
• East Dunbartonshire Council
• Glasgow City Council
• East Renfrewshire Council
• North Ayrshire Council

The remainder of your request relates to financial years 2018-2019 to 2023-2024. As discussed above, FOISA exemption 25(1) applies to this part of your request as the information requested is already in the public domain.

Each year, under section 70 of the Transport Scotland Act 2001, Scottish Ministers are required to report to Parliament on expenditure incurred from the Transport Scotland budget. The information requested can be accessed under the Sustainable and Active Travel section of the document at the below hyperlinks. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Financial Year 2023-24

Transport Scotland Section 70 Return - 2023-24 | Transport Scotland

Financial Year 2022-23

Transport Scotland Section 70 return - 2022-23 | Transport Scotland

Financial Year 2021-2022

Transport Scotland Section 70 return - 2021-22 | Transport Scotland

Financial Year 2020-2021

Transport Scotland Section 70 return - 2020-21 | Transport Scotland

Financial Year 2019-2020

Transport Scotland Section 70 return - 2019-20 | Transport Scotland

Financial Year 2018-2019

Transport Scotland Section 70 return - 2018-19 | Transport Scotland

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.