City council to invest £6m on cycling

The Executive Committee approved the city’s Strategic Plan for Cycling 2016-2025 and agreed to commit funding of £2m a year over the next three years on the basis that match funding is sourced from other key stakeholders.

The new strategy, which builds on from the council’s 2010 strategy, outlines the council’s vision, objectives, targets and actions for increasing levels of cycling for leisure, sport and as a mode of transport.

It aims to enhance the city’s cycling infrastructure, increase the provision of safe cycle routes segregated from traffic as well as improving road safety, introduce traffic calming schemes, and develop further safer cycle and walking routes.

Since 2010, considerable achievements have been made with regards to cycling in the city: The number of cycling facilities has grown considerably - from 230km of cycle network in 2010 to 310km to date, to the opening of the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, at Emirates Arena, and Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trail.

The number of people cycling has increased 200 per cent since 2007 along with the construction of the Connect2 route between the west end and the city centre and the South West City Way – a new segregated cycle route connecting the south side to the city centre

Bailie Elaine McDougall, the council’s executive member for transport, environment and sustainability, said: “Cycling has huge health benefits for individuals as well as environmental advantages.”