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£5M Fund To Boost Sustainable Travel In Scotland Opens

A multi-million pound grant fund has opened to support people across Scotland to travel in more active and sustainable ways.

Community, public and third sector organisations can now apply to the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund which has £5 million worth of grants available this year alone – double the amount available previously.

Now in its fifth year, the fund has already awarded over £9.3million to hundreds of projects across Scotland that aim to get people out their cars and walk, wheel or cycle for short journeys or use public or sustainable travel for longer trips.

The launch of this year’s grant fund has been welcomed by Scotland’s Active Travel Minister Patrick Harvie MSP.

He said: “I’m delighted we have been able to double this year’s Open Fund to £5 million – reflecting both the popularity of the fund and the effectiveness of giving community groups the flexibility to draw down funding and spend as they see fit to deliver initiatives that provide the best value for money in the communities they serve.

“This increase is part of our record funding for active travel this year and another step in our commitment to make walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choice for our daily short journeys in Scotland, and I commend Paths for All for their excellent stewardship of the Open Fund.”

Managed by national walking charity Paths for All and supported by Transport Scotland, the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) Open Fund aims to encourage people to change their behaviour and to walk, wheel or cycle for short, everyday journeys.

It also encourages people to use sustainable travel choices, including buses, trams, trains for longer journeys to help cut Scotland’s carbon emissions and improve air quality.

Since 2018, the SCSP Open Fund has supported charities, colleges and universities, social enterprises, third sector organisations, community groups and health and social care partnerships to realise their active travel ambitions.

It’s funded dozens of new active travel jobs and has boosted hundreds of initiatives to get people moving as part of their daily journeys, funding everything from information apps to active travel hubs.

Kevin Lafferty, Chief Executive Officer at Paths for All said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to offer £5million in grants this year to support more people to travel in ways that benefit their health and wellbeing and that helps protect our environment too.

“It’s been incredible to see what has been achieved so far, and we are looking forward to this seeing more projects coming forward with new and creative ways to make walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport the natural choice when getting from A to B.

“I’d encourage anyone with an active travel idea to get in touch with us and find out how we can help get projects off the ground. Together we can work towards creating a happier, healthier and greener Scotland.”

For information on how to apply for a Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund grant of between £5000 and £50,000, visit Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund | Paths for All

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About Paths for All: Paths for All Paths for All is Scotland’s national walking charity and the champion of everyday walking for a happier, healthier, greener Scotland. Our aim is support people in Scotland to be active every day. Walking is the easiest and most accessible way to do this. We create inclusive opportunities for everyone to walk and wheel, connecting communities and improving physical, social and mental health. To change the way people move, travel and enjoy life in Scotland, our work focuses on getting people in Scotland walking; everyone, everywhere and every day. If you’re interested in Paths for All’s mission to create a happier, healthier, greener Scotland, contact [email protected] About Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Open Fund: The Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) Open Fund aims to encourage people to change their behaviours to walk or cycle as part of their everyday short journeys. The fund, supported by Transport Scotland, also encourages people to use sustainable travel choices for longer journeys. First launched in 2018, Open Fund grants of between £5000 and £50,000 are available to public, third and community sector organisations that want to change people’s everyday travel behaviour. The fund aims to help cut Scotland’s carbon emissions, improve air quality, and tackle health inequalities by reversing the trend towards sedentary lifestyles.

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