Active travel spending

Request data on spending on cycling and walking infrastructure.

Councils receive funding for cycling and walking infrastructure through their own budgets and from bodies such as Sustrans. FOI requests can reveal how much is being invested in active travel and where the money is going.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The total capital and revenue spending on cycling and walking infrastructure. 2. A breakdown of spending by project or scheme, showing the project name, cost, and funding source. 3. The total length of dedicated cycling infrastructure (e.g. segregated cycle lanes, shared-use paths) in the authority area, in kilometres. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Your local council’s roads or transport department. Find your council on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

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Tips#

  • Sustrans publishes data on projects it funds. Check the Sustrans website before submitting your request to see if the projects in your area are already listed.
  • The Scottish Government committed in 2021 to spend 10% of the transport budget on active travel by 2024-25, but the commitment was not met and has since been dropped. Comparing your council’s spending against its overall transport budget still shows how priorities compare.
  • Some spending on active travel may be embedded within larger road schemes. If you suspect this, ask the council to include active travel components of wider road projects.