Public affairs manager Laura Hyde-White reports on the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group (CPG) on Sustainable Transport’s most recent meeting on ‘Transport, Children & Young People’.
This month, the Sustainable Transport CPG convened its second session in a series addressing transport inequalities, with a particular focus on the mobility needs of children and young people.
The meeting featured expert insights from Sustrans and the Scottish Youth Parliament, both of which highlighted the critical role of transport in shaping the lives of Scotland’s younger generation.
Children and active travel
Dr. Lee Muir of Sustrans shared preliminary findings from the forthcoming Children’s Walking and Cycling Index, an initiative designed to capture children’s perspectives on travel, safety, and local infrastructure. Set for release in early 2025, this index aims to fill data gaps on children’s experiences and assess how investment in active travel can reduce transport inequalities.
Initial data from over 1,000 young people shows nearly 50% of Scottish children walking or cycling to school, alongside a decline in car usage. However, challenges persist: 42% of children do not meet recommended physical activity levels, and approximately a third (31%) of children aged 2–15 are overweight or obese in the UK.
The survey also highlighted financial barriers, with 78% of children advocating for lower bicycle costs, and many disabled and ethnic minority children reporting lower cycling rates than their peers.
Active travel is vital for cultivating healthy habits among Scotland’s youth, but its success relies on safe infrastructure, such as segregated cycle paths and improved road crossings.
Addressing financial barriers and ensuring equitable access, particularly for disabled and ethnic minority children, is crucial for creating a healthier, more inclusive future.
Young people and public transport
David McGilp MSYP and Islay Jackson MSYP from the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), subsequently outlined the youth perspective on public transport. Building on their successful All Aboard campaign, which secured free public transport for under-22s, the SYP emphasised the importance of making transport accessible to all young people, especially those in rural and island communities.
While the under-22 travel scheme has been beneficial, the MSYPs highlighted that not all young people benefit equally, particularly in more remote areas where services like ferries can be vital.
However, the MSYPs noted a positive trend: there is a decreasing desire among young people to drive, driven by rising costs and convenience factors.
They called for the extension of the free travel scheme to those up to the age of 26 and recommended improvements in affordability, accessibility, and frequency of public transport services.
Amplifying the voices of young people
A key theme emerging from the Q&A session was the critical need to involve young people in transport decision-making processes. Representatives from the Scottish Youth Parliament stressed that young people are experts in their own experiences and should have a say in shaping the transport systems that will directly impact their future.
This involvement is particularly important as current infrastructure and investment choices will define their access to education, employment, and essential services in years to come.
Integrating young voices into policy and infrastructure decisions could ensure that transport systems not only address immediate inequalities but also build a sustainable and equitable future for the next generation.
