Rail connections

Active travel, walking, wheeling, and cycling, encourages people to spend more time outside and less time in the car. It addresses road congestion, air pollution, and public health, while also leading to improvements in the future.

Scotland’s national rail service, ScotRail, want to create a railway that enables increased active travel as part of the passenger journey, connecting communities and creating smooth active travel routes.

They aim to deliver this in three ways:

On Train.

A commitment to delivering high quality, on-train cycle storage facilities. This is being achieved through ongoing reviews and investment into their current fleet as well as ensuring appropriate storage is available on newer trains. 

At station. 

To encourage customers to cycle to  stations, ScotRail want to provide infrastructure that makes them feel safe. by working with local partners to install covered cycle storage, CCTV coverage, cycle maintenance stands, and cycle hire facilities.

First and final mile.

Making  it as easy as possible for passengers to get to and from stations without a car by working with local authorities and stakeholders to improve accessibility, walking routes, and active travel connections. 

Benefits to town centres and local communities stretch far beyond initial investment. Creating accessible active travel routes allows visitors and tourists to bring their cycles with them on their journey to explore more of your town. This can indirectly boost the local economy with people spending longer in the community.

It can also mean  improvement of your town’s overall environmental health, as passengers can feel more at ease walking, wheeling, or cycling to the station, as they head off on their next adventure.

According to the Sustrans Walking and Cycling index 2023 Transport Scotland, more than 4,200 long-term illnesses were prevented through active travel.  Economically, £11 million was saved through cycling, and £42.6 million was saved through walking and wheeling.  

By identifying how your town can improve your community, you help bring about real, measurable improvements to your environment. 

Next Steps

The continued pressure on public resources means every investment has to operate efficiently, by maximising the reach of every pound spent. Active travel is about investing now, to provide long-term gains.  

This approach not only delivers more value for customers and the public purse but allows for investment to support Scotland’s wider strategic objectives like the goal to reach net-zero by 2045.

The Government provides active travel funding to Regional Transport Partnerships and Local Authorities to work with ScotRail to develop town centres and local communities.  

ScotRail is keen to be a part of your vision early in the process so they can work in partnership with you to deliver. For enquiries, please contact community@scotrail.co.uk.