Active Travel & Sustainable Transport – Survey Feedback

During September 2023 KLCT launched two Active Travel and Sustainable Transport surveys – one specifically designed for pupils of Lochalsh primary schools, the other aimed at community members aged 16+.

The aim of these surveys was to gain a baseline understanding of current travel and sustainable transport habits within the area – frequency of active travel, perceived barriers, and levels of sustainable transport usage. Across both versions of the survey we gained 228 responses which was a fantastic result!

Moving forward our overall objectives broadly focus upon:

• Developing a culture of active travel
• Striving to increase the percentage of people walking and cycling in Lochalsh
• Increasing the percentage of primary and secondary children walking and cycling to/from places of education in Lochalsh
• Increasing the percentage of Lochalsh residents using electric means of transport

In summary, key issues identified include:

1. Infrastructure – lack of dedicated active travel facilities, insufficient segregation from other traffic, need for safe cycle and walking access within villages and between villages, concerns over traffic speeds, and competition for road use between cyclists, walkers, and vehicles.
2. Public transport availability linking with the flexible needs of local people in employment.
3. Distance of journeys and time constraints influence travel choices.

Interestingly, 63% of our 16+ survey respondents said they travelled actively regularly, whether daily or a couple of times per week, with walking being the most preferred method (89%), followed by e-cycling (6%) and cycling (5%). Access to active travel means (bikes, e-bikes), and poor weather ranked low as reasons for not using active travel – as Billy Connolly said, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes” and living on the west coast it isn’t surprising that poor weather doesn’t phase us!

While poor knowledge of local active travel routes was generally not an issue, 50% agreed that “there is a lack of walking and/or cycling routes on the route I wish to travel”.

When asked about e-vehicle ownership, no respondents owned an electric vehicle, with 10% owning an electric bike.

These results follow similar findings of the Lochalsh Collaborates Community Survey and Action Plan, highlighting the need for better public transport, improved parking, road safety, and a network of routes for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians to improve safety and connectivity.

Within the primary school audience, 20% of children said they travelled actively to and from school (walking, cycling, or scooter). 70% of 122 respondents said it took more than 10 minutes by vehicle to get to school, showing distances influence transportation choices. Cycling ranked top (54%) as children’s preferred active travel.

As part of this project, we are working with a local contractor to develop a study detailing the current path and cycleway network in Lochalsh, while identifying potential future routes and improvements. This will contribute to a detailed active travel map for the Lochalsh Local Place Plan.

We also aim to provide a first-stage ‘Active Travel & Sustainable Transport’ action plan for the area, detailing survey findings, suggesting appropriate actions, and incorporating findings from the path and cycleway study. A dedicated schools action plan will also be distributed to local primary schools.