A new report launched by Scottish Cycling has confirmed the positive impact that new cycling facilities are having on the people of Scotland.
With the support of Ms Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, the impact report was unveiled at Callendar Park in Falkirk, the venue one of 31 completed facilities investments over the last five years.
The full report can be read here.
The Callander Park Mountain Bike Trails are a shining example of this success, as witnessed on Wednesday morning, as school children and members of the local cycling club enjoyed a session on the new facility.
The Cycling Facilities Fund, which enabled this facility to come to life, is directly supporting progress towards Scotland’s ambition for a more active Scotland where everyone benefits from sport and physical activity for their physical, mental and social health.
The Fund, which has a total of £8 million of investment, has come about as a result of £4 million from the Scottish Government and £4 million from sportscotland, through National Lottery funding. Furthermore, this £8 million of funding has unlocked a total of £18 million when match funding is considered, a figure that will continue to rise.
Administered jointly by Scottish Cycling and sportscotland, the fund has already delivered new cycling facilities in 70% of Local Authority’s across Scotland, with approximately 1.2 million using the new sites.
Of the work going into cycling facilities across the country, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said:
“I welcome the findings of this impact report, which clearly shows how the Cycling Facilities Fund has helped strengthen communities across Scotland. These facilities are providing inclusive spaces where people of all ages and abilities can come together, learn new skills, and enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
“By investing in cycling infrastructure, we are delivering on our commitment to make sport and physical activity accessible to everyone, while contributing to our wider goals for sustainability and active travel."
Commenting on the investment, sportscotland Director of Sport, Craig Burn, said:
"The Cycling Facilities Fund has had a transformational impact of Scotland’s cycling infrastructure. It’s been hugely encouraging to see the number of people and clubs already using these facilities, access to the sport has been improved greatly for so many communities.
"This would not have been achieved without investment and lots of hard work from our local partners, like everyone involved at the Callander Park Mountain Bike Trails. They have demonstrated a real commitment to ensuring that more people will have the chance to take advantage of all the benefits cycling can bring."
Scottish Cycling Chief Executive, Nick Rennie, added:
“As demonstrated by today’s report, our 31 fantastic new facilities are making significant differences to people from all walks of life. So many of these facilities are multi-functional, so whether used for national level racing, or to provide people with a safe, inclusive environment to master riding a bike, the impact is huge.
“With over a million people already making use of these new facilities, which cover such a large portion for Scotland, from the central belt to the highlands and islands, we can be proud of how cycling is changing lives.
"This is just the start though, with 19 more facilities in the pipeline, including mountain bike trails, pump tracks and a closed-road circuit.”
The Cycling Facilities Fund came about as part of the aim to ensure a lasting legacy from the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which took place in Glasgow and across Scotland two years ago.
Launched in October 2020, the interim report looks at some of the early impact across 31 facilities that have received investment between October 2020 – June 2025. There are 19 further facilities where funding is committed, and projects will be complete in the coming months.
