McMillan Welcomes BIKE2Go Funding for East Dunbartonshire

Stuart McMillan MSP, (SNP) has today (Wednesday) welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Government that a cycle hire initiative to provide greener, healthier travel options was launched by the Transport Minister. The scheme will see some of the funding coming to East Dunbartonshire being provided to Kirkintilloch and Lenzie offering discount cycle schemes.

The £155,000 BIKE2Go scheme is the first of its kind to be introduced in Scotland. It provides bicycles free of charge to subscribers from nine locations across the town to boost cycling numbers, reducing emissions and promoting healthy activity.

Mr McMillan said;

"I'm pleased to see the Scottish Government is continuing to invest in greener, healthier methods of travel and I welcome the news that East Dunbartonshire, through Kirkintilloch and Lenzie, is to benefit from the BIKE2GO funding.

"It's vital in Scotland we play a leading role in reducing our carbon footprint and creating a more sustainable country for future generations.

"Therefore, with this announcement of funding from the Scottish Government providing bicycles free of charge to subscribers it will boost cycling numbers, reduce emissions and promote healthy activity."

Transport Scotland release - http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/Scotland%27s-first-cycle-hire-scheme-launched

Launched by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA, the seven chosen local authorities and regional transport partnerships, SCSP will see £10m of Scottish Government funding being invested in a variety of initiatives across Scotland. A further £5m of match funding will also be available from councils, public transport operators and developers

* Around a third of the three-year SCSP £15m project's funding has been earmarked for cycling and walking initiatives in Dundee, Glasgow's East End, Larbert and Stenhousemuir, Barrhead, Kirkintilloch and Lenzie, Kirkwall, and Dumfries with £155,000 of SCSP and ESF funds set aside to develop and administer the Bike2Go scheme. Further information on these scheme is available on request

* The Bike2Go scheme is funded by the Scottish Government's Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) programme and European Structural Funds of the Lowlands and Uplands of Scotland (ESF) 2007-2013