Today we are sharing the difficult news that Transport Scotland have made the decision to no longer fund Paths for All’s Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) grants programme. This means that the programme and its Open Fund, Local Authority Fund and Active Nation Fund will cease to exist past April 2024.
We thoroughly appreciate this news will bring uncertainty to those in the sector, and in particular the communities that we support who are working hard on the ground to increase active and sustainable travel. They have contributed to the positive shift to make Scotland a happier, healthier and greener place to live and work. We would like to especially thank these projects who have worked tirelessly to scale up walking, wheeling and cycling and the use of sustainable transport modes within their communities.
We want to reassure existing SCSP-funded projects that your 2023-24 grant will not be affected. For those who are still seeking funding, the Open Fund will remain open for applications until the end of February 2024. Grants are available from £5,000 - £100,000 and need to be match-funded. The project start date must be 31st March 2024 at the latest. Please note that once the pot is allocated, this funding will no longer be available.
Since we launched SCSP in 2015, the programme has supported hundreds of active and sustainable travel projects across Scotland. We are proud of the legacy of the programme and the impact of the projects we have supported, that have positively changed behaviours, attitudes and lives during the last 8 years.
As Scotland’s national walking charity, we at Paths for All will continue to make the case for funding of active travel behaviour change, which Transport Scotland has identified as an important part of its future delivery model.
Paths for All will step forward, continuing our focus on walking and wheeling as the foremost modes of transport for short journeys. Walking has the potential to bring about transformational change to reduce transport emissions, while improving health and wellbeing for everyone.
For enquiries about Transport Scotland’s active travel funding please contact info@transport.gov.scot