Lunchtime Learning: Sustainable Travel
Sustainable Travel: Lunchtime Learning
This session was exploring how the Forth Valley is making strides towards greener, more sustainable travel solutions and how individuals and communities can get involved.
Speakers and Key Insights:
Ryan Flaherty, from FEL Scotland, shared insights into the role of e-bikes in Scotland’s green future, as the country works towards its Net Zero target of 2045. He discussed the transformative power of e-bikes, highlighting how adding a motor to a bike makes cycling accessible to a broader demographic.
“What we’ve noticed running the library is that by adding a motor to what is essentially the most efficient machine we’ve ever made, it opens up cycling to a massive audience. You no longer need to have all the energy in the world to commute on your bike. Adding a little motor makes it possible for people across a broader age range. We’ve noticed a shift in the demographic of users through our booking system shows which is fantastic.”
FEL Bike Library. Since 2016, FEL Scotland has been offering free e-bike loans to the public across the Forth Valley. In addition to e-bikes, the library also provides trailers, children’s seats, cargo bikes, and more, aiming to make cycling a convenient, sustainable transport option for everyone. Ryan shared how this initiative is helping to make sustainable travel more accessible.
Will Seaborne, from Climate Forth, presented on the innovative Inner Forth Bike Bus service pilot. This service encourages locals and visitors to explore the picturesque Inner Forth area by bike or on foot. With multiple pick-up and drop-off points between Alloa and the Forth Bridges, passengers can enjoy part of the ‘Round the Inner Forth’ route while visiting heritage sites along the way. The service is designed to offer an eco-friendly transport option, making cycling and walking easier, and helping reduce carbon footprints.
“Some people used the service almost like public transport. For example, an older couple took it to visit The Kelpies for the first time. I also spoke to two folks who essentially used it as a taxi to explore some local brunch spots. While it wasn’t exactly what we envisioned, I’m glad they could still make use of it.”
Key Takeaways:
Scotland’s Net Zero Targets: Achieve a 20% reduction in kilometres travelled by car (from a 2019 baseline) by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2045
Key Challenges: Reducing carbon emissions from transport, which is one of the largest contributors to Scotland’s carbon footprint and transitioning to sustainable, low-emission modes of transport.
Opportunities: Exploring innovative green alternatives like e-bikes and a record investment in active travel infrastructure.
How e-bikes can help meet Net Zero by 2045:
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Integration into transport policy: Support for e-bike infrastructure and incentives to encourage adoption
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Increase adoption: E-bikes as a mainstream transport option for short and medium-distance journeys
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Reduction in car use: Encouraging people to shift daily commuting from cars to e-bikes
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Collaboration with public transport: Integrating e-bikes with bus and train networks to create a seamless multimodal transport solution
Climate Forth’s Inner Forth Bike Bus:
Climate Forth is also helping highlight lesser-known local heritage sites, fostering new visitors and supporting local tourism. They’ve created downloadable route cards, which have become a popular way to engage with the area.
We are excited to announce that the Inner Forth Bike Bus is returning for the 2025 season! Operating from 20th April to 26th October, this free service will run every Sunday between Alloa and the Forth Bridges, encouraging sustainable travel within the Inner Forth.
The service allows passengers to cycle or walk part of the ‘Round the Inner Forth’ route, with access to heritage sites, walking and cycling trails, and active travel hubs. The goal is to make cycling more accessible and reduce car use, encouraging a greener way to explore this beautiful region.
This service aims to address the challenges visitors face when exploring linear walking or cycling trails, providing an alternative to the return journey by foot or bike. Public transport options can often be limited or not bike-friendly, and the Inner Forth Bike Bus offers a solution for those looking for a greener, more convenient way to travel.
For residents of the Forth Valley keen to get cycling, several local initiatives offer opportunities to get involved:
Recyke-a-Bike Offer a bike library service, training and second hand bike shop. Through cycling, our aims are to relieve poverty within our community and improve health, education and the environment. Put simply, we really want to get more people into work and more bikes into the community.
Active Stirling – Bikes without Barriers
The programme aims to provide opportunities for adults aged 16yrs+, living with a disability or who face barriers to participating in cycling to enjoy the sense of exhilaration and fun that can be experienced through cycling.
