Alex Johnstone: ...today, many of us walk—and many more should walk, because we have wonderful countryside. Nevertheless, the topography and the climate of some areas of Scotland are, perhaps, less conducive to cycling. Although cycling up a steep hill in the pouring rain into the teeth of a gale might be an excellent metaphor for my job of promoting Conservative policy in the Scottish Parliament, it is...
Alex Johnstone: ...that money that is allocated by the Scottish Government for active travel is used for that purpose, and makes contributions where it can to improve the infrastructure and support that walking and cycling receive. Many members have talked about the need for separate infrastructure so that cyclists can be kept away from busy traffic. That would be a vital step forward if the budget could be...
Alex Johnstone: .... I will try to cover one or two more points in my closing speech, but it must be said that, in such a debate, we cannot all be expected to cover everything. The first issue that I will cover is cycling, which is in the Government motion, for which I intend to vote at 5 o’clock tonight. Cycling was covered at some length by my colleague Cameron Buchanan, who highlighted the fact that it...
Alex Johnstone: ..., it is necessary for me to repeat what I said and to work hard to ensure that my message gets across. Last week, the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee heard evidence from a number of cycling organisations. I remarked privately—not on the record—to some of my committee colleagues that, when it comes to efforts to promote cycling as a driver for economic growth, Norman...
Alex Johnstone: ...many cyclists cannot ride on them. There are also sound arguments for concentrating investment on new rail opportunities, which may benefit us equally, if not more. That is why I suggest that the cycling lobby must take the opportunity to continue to argue its case fluently and consistently, to ensure that it gets the hearing that it deserves. One thing that has impressed me about the...
Alex Johnstone: ...has not been judged fairly and accurately against alternative uses for limited finance. I give the report the benefit of the doubt, and I welcome the forthcoming publication of the Government's cycling action plan. We can achieve a lot, and we should, in these difficult times, take the pragmatic approach to ensure that active travel—cycling and walking—is on the increase in years to...
Alex Johnstone: ...building users in 2005 revealed that, of those who responded, only 20 per cent usually travel to the building by car, 35 per cent travel by public transport, 36 per cent walk, and only 4 per cent cycle. Although that is significantly more sustainable than the national average, the corporate body included in its environmental policy an objective to reduce the impact of travel to and from...