SEStran

14/08/2026

One of our senior project officers, Alisdair Brown, visited Scottish Canals at the Falkirk Wheel earlier this week to hear more about their improvement plans for the site, which will make it more friendly and attractive to people walking, wheeling and cycling.

The plans will also help better link up key active travel routes around the Falkirk Wheel, including those alongside the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal.

05/08/2026

We have another great story from one of the projects we fund through our People and Place programme!

Through their e-Bikes for Borderers (or EB4B) initiative, A Greener Melrose loans e-bikes so people can try them out before they buy one.

When Caroline picked up an e-bike at the end of May, she wasn't sure how much she’d actually use it. Four weeks later, she handed it back having ridden a mega 259 miles around the Borders - 14 different cycles, and barely a corner of the area left unexplored!

Initially, Caroline was felt a little nervous about cycling on the roads, but her experience during the trial has made her much more confident. Caroline's brothers also recently visited EB4B, one returning and one collecting a bike, showing that word of mouth really does work!

Caroline and her husband Alex have now bought their own e-bikes and are enjoying their new love of cycling and active travel. 💚

Find out more about projects we support, such as A Greener Melrose: https://sestran.gov.uk/people-and-place-community-fund/



Transport Scotland

The picture shows Caroline and Alex with their new e-bikes.

31/07/2026

Yesterday, some of our team spent the day with Cycling UK in Scotland, to see the impact of the great work they are doing, and which we are funding through our People and Place programme.

It was an excellent day, not least because the weather was kind! But the most rewarding part was hearing directly from people whose lives have been changed by the work Cycling UK are doing. We met a mum and daughter who are now confidently cycling for shorter journeys, and a Musselburgh resident who is planning to cycle the 7 miles to her new job after taking part in confidence-building sessions. We also learned that local GPs are prescribing cycling sessions with Cycling UK to support mental health, with participants experiencing real benefits to their wellbeing.

It was a really great day - huge thanks to the team at Cycling UK for showing us the brilliant work you are doing!

29/07/2026

We're delighted to have been shortlisted for the John Prescott Regional Transport Authority of the Year at the 2026 National Transport Awards! 🎉

We're also really pleased that our friends at Scottish Borders Council have been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year for their RIDONKULOUS initiative. We support this through our People and Place programme and it really is such a great approach to getting people to choose active travel.

We'll find out how we've got on at the award ceremony in October. 🤞

28/07/2026

There's nothing better than hearing how the projects we support are making a difference to people's lives.

A family recently shared their experience of borrowing e-bikes through West Lothian Bike Library, supported by our Go e-Bike programme. With family members aged from 14 to their late 50s, they set off along the Union Canal and enjoyed a day exploring, spotting wildlife and spending quality time together.

They described the experience as inclusive, accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of age or cycling ability. Even better, two members of the group are now considering buying e-bikes of their own. 👏

It's a great reminder that e-bikes aren't just about getting from A to B. They can help people discover new places, spend time together and try something they might never have considered before. 🚲💚

24/07/2026

Here's your Friday feel good moment - a short clip from our new Play on the Way film. It's so great to hear how much the children love this active start to their school day!

Play on the Way is an initiative being carried out in West Lothian to encourage children to walk to school. Organised by Play Works and with the support of West Lothian Council, children meet an hour before school begins to play, chat and have a snack on their way to school.

👉 Take a look at the full film: https://sestran.gov.uk/casestudies/

22/07/2026

Alastair Dalton - Transport Journalist has today written a piece in the Scotsman about the success of the Voi Technology bike hire schemes in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

We're not surprised by how well these bikes are doing - a quick straw poll in our team this morning showed that almost half of us used one to get to the office today.

And with the trams currently out of action in part of Edinburgh following the recent fire on Princes Street, they are more important than ever as a way to get around the city.

Have you used a Voi bike recently?



Pic - a throwback photo to when a couple of our team first tried the Voi bikes out when they arrive in Edinburgh last year.

17/07/2026

We're delighted to share another case study film about a project we support through our People and Place programme.

Play on the Way is an initiative being carried out in West Lothian to encourage children to walk to school. Organised by Play Works and with the support of West Lothian Council, children meet in the morning to play, chat and have a snack on their way to school.

As you'll see in the film, the children love playing on their way to school, and as well as encouraging the children to travel actively, there are so many other benefits.

Take a look and see, if like us, it puts a huge smile on your face! 😁

You can catch up with all our People and Place case studies here: https://sestran.gov.uk/casestudies/



Transport Scotland

14/07/2026

We love hearing about the great work of projects we're funding through our People and Place programme. 💚

Via Scottish Borders Council, we're supporting the The FNY Collective and their active travel campaign, which is helping people to swap four wheels for two to commute, socialise, and embrace sustainable travel.

Take a look at their video which shows the great work they are doing to help women get out on bikes, empowering them to choose active travel.

👉 https://youtu.be/u-fz1L-8tw4?si=whoZrs0zq6dYhJAG



Transport Scotland

At the FNY Collective, we believe that biking is for everyone. Our ...

17/04/2026

Our final People and Place film is about Scottish Borders Council's RIDONKULOUS Big Bike Night In - an event to encourage women and girls of all ages to cycle.

Scottish Borders Council are currently running RIDONKULOUS in Hawick. The campaign focuses on getting more people to use active travel for shorter journeys, using the active travel infrastructure around the town.

Take a look at the film to see the impact of the RIDONKULOUS Big Bike Night In. 🚴‍♀️



Transport Scotland