Country's cycling network needs to be safer to encourage more to get on their bike
A call for lower speed limits on Scotland’s rural roads would increase the quality and safety of cycling, a campaign group has claimed.
Walking and cycling charity Sustrans Scotland is calling for speed limits in some remote areas to be reduced to 40mph in a bid to encourage more to get on their bikes as well as increasing safety for those already cycling.
The call comes as the charity releases the findings from its first ever UK-wide audit of the national cycle network, which provides a snapshot of the condition of the network across the UK.
The Paths for Everyone report found that 57% of Network route in Scotland has been rated as Very Poor, with a further 2% as Poor.
All of the routes classified as Very Poor are on-road, and more than half (56%) of the issues on the Network in Scotland can be related to concerns around traffic safety.
The review makes 15 recommendations to improve the network, including one where routes are on-road, that the speed limit is reduced to 20mph in urban areas and 40mph in rural areas.
Sustrans Scotland national director John Lauder said: "Scotland’s unique geography means that a large proportion of National Cycle Network routes here are based on rural roads.
"And while it is heartening to see that the majority of our off-road routes are Good or Very Good, which reflects the investment by the Scottish Government, in particular over the past five years, and the commitment by our partners, we still face a big challenge where National Cycle Network routes are on public roads.
“Reducing the speed limit to 40mph on on-road sections of the National Cycle Network as part of a range of complementary measures will help make these popular walking and cycling routes safer, better and more reliable for all users.”
Transport secretary Michael Matheson said: “Doubling the active travel budget has allowed the Scottish Government to also double our investment in the NCN to £6.9 million this year.
“I am confident that this funding, alongside this review, will contribute towards allowing this inclusive network to flourish for future generations, so that people right across Scotland can continue to enjoy walking and cycling at all ages.”
Scotland has a total of 2,657 miles of cycle routes stretching from the Borders to the Shetland Islands.
