How is the SNP encouraging people to be more active?

We want a Scotland where everyone can benefit from investment in sport and physical activity. We will double the Scottish Government’s investment in sport and active living to £100 million a year by the end of the Parliament to help Scotland get more active.

We will task SportScotland to work with organisations and individuals across Scotland to devise a new national activity plan. Its focus will be to break down the barriers, financial or otherwise, that keep too many people from leading active lives. A priority will be to support the participation of more women and girls.

Since the start of the pandemic we have seen a huge increase in cycling and walking. During lockdown people were encouraged to take physical activity and found their local roads were less busy and felt safer. It proved that people will choose to cycle when they feel safe.

We will lock that change in by spending – by the end of the parliament – 10% of the transport capital budget on walking, cycling and wheeling.

We will create, repair and improve a Scotland-wide active travel network to ensure that every town has access to a high quality and separated walking and cycling network, allowing safe daily commutes and reducing dependence on private motor vehicles.

To encourage our youngest citizens, we will provide free bikes for all children of school age who cannot afford them and ensure every child in Scotland leaves school with the ability to cycle safely. We will also make Active Schools programmes free for all children by the end of the parliament.

To make owning a bike an option for everyone, and reduce transport poverty, we will make loans and grants available for the purchase of pedal cycles and for their repair.