Thanks for joining us Brendan, and for taking part 👣
04.03.2026 21:23
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Thanks for joining us Brendan, and for taking part 👣
A group of representatives from Scotland's political parties sit in front of an audience, with a branded screen behind them.
We'd like to say a huge thank you to our panel members
Paul McLennan MSP @SueWebberMSP.bsky.social Charles Dundas MSP @markruskell.bsky.social Graham Simpson MSP and James Dalgleish MSP and attendees for taking part in the discussion.
That's a wrap on our election Hustings. It's been a fantastic evening discussing how, by working together, we can take steps to make Scotland a walking and wheeling nation.
We'll be following up with more content soon. Stay tuned if you'd like to hear more, and get involved.
Walking and wheeling is agreed as a cross-cutting solution. By encouraging people to walk and wheel more, we can see huge benefits to health and wellbeing, to reducing emissions, tackling our climate-nature emergency and supporting cleaner, greener and safer communities for everyone.
Across the panel, there is agreement that we need investment through local government. This could significantly improve connectivity between communities and their services, and support the development of core paths and networks.
The condition of pavements and paths has been highlighted as a barrier for those wishing to make everyday walking and wheeling journeys. An audience member raises the question - what will be done to fix them so everyone can use them safely?
Reflecting earlier points explored by our panel members, there is agreement that investment is needed in infrastructure, in transformational programmes and a dedicated focus on accessibility so that everyone, regardless of ability, feels empowered to choose to walk and wheel regularly.
We know that walking and wheeling sit at the top of the sustainable travel hierarchy, but it isn't reflected in current investment. Our next question is exploring what long-term funding commitments will be made to ensure fair investment in walking and wheeling.
It is important to identify, understand and tackle the barriers to walking & wheeling. For example, safety, particularly at night, can be a barrier for many.
Planning policy, prioritising walking & wheeling programmes, and implementing incentivised practice has real potential to change behaviours.
There is consensus that to support people to walk and wheel more is heavily dependent on good infrastructure, improved connectivity between communities and services, and designing our systems for walkability.
Walking & wheeling bring huge benefits for mental and physical health. They're the most accessible ways to be more active and reduce health inequalities. Our first question from the audience explores how we can get 80% of the population walking or wheeling for 150 minutes a week.
We're at Dovecot Studios this evening for our election Hustings. Representatives of Scotland's political parties and guests will explore the importance of walking & wheeling in tackling some of Scotland's biggest challenges, from health inequalities to the climate-nature emergency.
We hope to run our Walking and Wheeling Survey in 2027, offering an opportunity to track trends, gather views and explore insights from diverse audiences.
Whilst we've only touched the surface of the survey findings, you can explore the survey in more depth at walkingscotland.org.uk/scottish-wal...
Walking and wheeling infrastructure, needs of a community and the desire to walk across rural and urban areas (or even across local authority) can vastly differ.
Our Walking and Wheeling Survey explores a wide array of behaviours, data and factors to paint an insightful picture.
It was found that over half (54%) of those using a wearable device stated that it had encouraged them to walk or wheel more. 31% stated that a wearable device had helped them to maintain their usual level of activity.
Do you track your steps? And how can your devices impact everyday active journeys?
Around 51% of adults in Scotland use a wearable device to measure their daily steps or wheeling activity. 2 in 3 people check or pay attention to their activity at least once a day (65%).
30% of people walk or wheel more because they work from home.
38% walk or wheel less because they walk from home.
32% of people said that working from home had no impact on their levels of walking or wheeling during the day.
But what about walkability as a factor in where you live?
Living in walking distance to the local shops or services, a good network of paths and pavements and within walking distance of a public transport route were found to be the top three factors.
Safety was found to be a significant consideration for those who choose to walk and wheel alone or after dark for their everyday journeys.
39% of women would walk more often if they felt safer after dark (vs. 24% of men).
Following closely behind as factors impacting on walking and wheeling satisfactory were cyclists on pavements, difficulty crossing roads and high levels of traffic including noise and pollution.
Barriers to walking and wheeling are varied, with the highest percentage issues being cats parked on pavements, poorly maintained pavements and litter highlighted by over 1/3 of respondents.
Most of us walk or wheel on a regular basis, with 86% of us walking several times a week or daily. But the frequency of walking journeys is not equal across the population with dog owners, those in good health and individuals under the age of 45 years walking everyday.
...and the barriers people face when making their everyday walking journeys.
Have you explored the survey yet? If you have, does anything on particular stand out? Share it in the comments.
walkingscotland.org.uk/resource/wal...
(Thread) We welcome over 70 attendees to today's webinar, hosted alongside 56 Degree Insight. We're taking a deep dive into the findings of our recent Walking and Wheeling survey.
We share how many people are walking and wheeling regularly, who is walking the most and why...
Two young women and a man smile as they walk along a quiet residential street during a sunny day. The image is set on a blue background alongside the red and white Walking Scotland Step Count Challenge logo.
It’s back! Our 6-week spring Step Count Challenge starts Monday 20 April 🏆
Gather up to 4 teammates, log your daily steps and give your body and mind a boost as you move together.
Enjoy 20% off until Friday 20 March with code SPRING2026.
Register now 👉 walkingscotland.org.uk/get-involved...
Thank you for sharing! We're looking forward to the opportunity to explore all things walking and wheeling, and the importance of both in Scotland 👣
Can't make it to our Walking and Wheeling Election Hustings on Wednesday 4 March? You can still get involved!
We’ll be asking Scotland’s main political parties about their priorities for walking and wheeling. Send us your question and help shape the discussion.
👉 forms.office.com/e/fCTrP7E7PG
A black collie with a branded Walking Scotland bandana around its neck in a local park.
Sunday 22 February was National Walk Your Dog Day and we celebrated how our four-legged friends get us walking and wheeling more 🐕
Our recent survey shows that dog walkers walk the most everyday out of any group in Scotland 🐾
Read our latest story 👇
walkingscotland.org.uk/mans-best-fr...
Join us for a free webinar to learn more about how many people in Scotland are walking and wheeling regularly, who is walking the most and why, and the barriers people face.
📅 Wednesday 4 March
🕧 12.30pm to 1.30pm
📍 Microsoft Teams
Book here 👉 forms.office.com/e/UjrWP3YmA5
Thanks for sharing! We're looking forward to fruitful discussions around how we can help people walk and wheel more.
