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start of circular... Spokes Action-Update 08.01.26 spokes.org.uk St Martins Centre, 232 Dalry Road EH11 2JG 0131.313.2114 bluesky: @spokes.org.uk 0. Finding your councillors In Edinburgh, find your ward & councillors by typing your postcode on this page [or edinburgh.gov.uk : Council & Committees : Find your Councillor]. Everyone has either 3 or 4 councillors, usually from assorted parties. For any Council, and to find MSPs, you can use writetothem.com. 1. Welcome to 2026! There’s a major article on our website on what we may expect for cycling-related development in Edinburgh in 2026. Some is pretty definite, some is ‘expected’ and some will depend on bids from the Council for Scottish Government active travel funding. The article includes...  A start to implementing the council’s ‘Primary Cycle Network’ of segregated routes on main roads. As the Council’s active travel delivery plan 2021-2030 rightly says, these “are usually the most direct, flattest and socially safe routes.“  Upgrading the Travelling Safely bollarded routes on Duddingston Road, Duddingston Road West, Seafield Street, A1 (including London Road)  A start on Dundee/Fountainbridge scheme (see 2 below) if consultation and traffic orders go relatively smoothly. Please respond by 12 January!!  Fully segregated onroad route Cameron Toll - Bioquarter  Meadows to Canal - Kings Theatre section work starts on Jan 12; main route construction due December 2026  Foot of Walk to Dock Street – completion & opening  Lothian Road boulevard – initial outline plans  A8, CCWEL cycling & bus facilities extension from Roseburn to Gogar – initial outline plans  7-7-7 Bus-lane experiment, Balerno to Musselburgh

6. New Train Fleets Transport Scotland is in the process of procuring two new train fleets... • long distance Inter-City trains to replace the existing HST fleet linking Edinburgh and Glasgow to Inverness and Aberdeen • local electric/battery hybrid trains for lines to Dundee via Fife Circle and for the Borders railway. Electrification work to Fife is about to start. Clearly the design of this new rolling stock will have a profound effect on bike/rail opportunities for years to come on routes affecting many journeys to/from our local area. It has been publicly stated that bike carriage will be included but, as far as we are aware, there has been no consultation on designs, or what types of bikes and accessories will be catered for. If you have views on what should be covered, please email your MSPs asking them to take up your concerns and get back to you. Send us any useful replies. Do consider mentioning the economic benefits of bike tourism, as this has been a winning argument in the past – for example in getting the West Highland bike coaches and retro-fitting the HST fleet to Inverness and Aberdeen. Note also that Spokes is looking for a new bike/rail campaigner – see 5.1 above.

4. Climate Emergency With world politics in turmoil, the growing climate emergency is often way down in public debate. Severe weather episodes hit the headlines briefly, but don’t bring long-term climate action. Yet, in Britain, 2025 was the hottest year on record [Met Office]. Heat and drought in 2025 cost UK arable farmers over £800m in lost crops, following 2024’s lost harvests caused by extreme, persistent rain leading to flooded and waterlogged fields. Internationally, the current tensions over Greenland are heightened by the melting of Arctic Ice, itself due to global heating, leading to new shipping routes and conflict over new sources of minerals and oil. UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned that “devastating consequences” are now inevitable. Nonetheless, efforts to pressurise politicians and energise the public by NGOs, scientists, those most affected and others, continue, and must continue... 4.1 Draft Scottish Climate Change Plan – consultation ends 29.1.26 + SCCS response The Scottish Government is consulting on its 2026-2040 Climate Change Plan. You may recall that the previous Plan (2018-2032) included the ‘commitment’ to cut car-km 20% by 2030. A commitment which later became a ‘target’ and which then in 2025 was scrapped altogether, despite government-commissioned research showing how it could be achieved. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) has submitted this response to the new consultation, and with a key-issues summary. On transport, whilst praising the Scottish Government’s intentions on EVs, they say it is “weak on both modal shift and increasing and improving public and active travel options. And there is no action to cut emissions from aviation or shipping.” WHAT YOU CAN DO • Please make your own response to the draft – it can be brief! SCCS has produced this excellent page of helpful advice on how to respond, and with other useful links. • Spokes hopes to respond to the consultation and, if you decide to send in your own detailed …

🙋 Spokes Action-Update members' email circular

--> www.spokes.org.uk/wp-content/u...

includes:

#DundeeStreet (urgent!)
📈 #ClimateCrisis
🚲<-->🚉 #BikeRail

@edi.bike @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk @merchistoncc.bsky.social @sccscot.bsky.social @helenrambler.bsky.social @edfoc.bsky.social @sw20.info

Example question from the survey. What are the most important things for you to think about when planning a train journey? Please tick your top 3 important things. How much it will cost. ☐ How long it will take. ☐ That the train will arrive when it is supposed to. ☐ That there is a good space for me and my equipment on the train. ☐ That I can get on and off the train easily. ☐ That there is staff to help me. ☐ That I can bring an assistance animal. ☐ That there are toilets at the station or on the train. ☐ That there are Changing Places toilets at the station. ☐ That the station is accessible. ☐ That it is easy to get another train or public transport service to complete my journey ☐ That it is easy to find the information I need. ☐ Other. Please type or write it below. ☐

#Train survey for disabled people 👩‍🦼🚆
-> www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/atftrainss...

This is to help research by @descot.bsky.social & @transportscotland.bsky.social

🙋 if you have #BikeRail access problems unrelated to disability, the survey is not for you, but you can email John.Lauder@networkrail.co.uk

New ScotRail poster showing what types of bike allowed on which trains

Scotrail cycling website intro page... Lock your bike at the station, take it on the train, or hire a bike at one of the growing number of cycle hire points across the network. We're developing a seamlessly integrated cycle and rail network. We've installed more cycle parking at our stations so it's easier to securely leave your bike before catching the train, or you can take your bike with you. There's no additional charge to take your bike on our trains and for some journeys you’ll need to reserve a space in advance. There are plenty of reasons to leave the car at home and take the bike instead – to keep fit, have fun, or do your bit for the environment. Combining a bike ride with train travel is a brilliant way to see the country or just to get about town.

Guide to travelling with bike by scotrail Guide to travelling with a bike on trains Share Tweet Pin Share The following is a guide to cycle space availability, including the number of spaces and if tandems or larger cycles such as cargo cycles can be carried, on our different types of trains across all our routes. Our helpful videos show how to safely board and stow your cycle during your journey. When travelling with your cycle please look for the dedicated wide aisle gate in stations with gateline barriers installed. The other gates will be too narrow for your cycle. You can find out what type of train you will be travelling on by using the dropdowns below. Simply select the area you are travelling in and then your line of route. The Central Belt The Highlands Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Stranraer Kilmarnock, Dumfries and Carlisle The East Coast and Fife Lothian and The Borders

page showing what bikes allowed Glasgow to Ed/ N Berwick/ Dunbar

🚲<->🚆

👍 #Scotrail much improved #BikeRail info

👍 Great poster + website
--> www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-jo...

🤔 Shame not yet on @bsky.app

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @networkrailscot.bsky.social @railmag.bsky.social @railfuture.bsky.social @adamblair.bsky.social @cyclingscot.bsky.social

Tandems and most cargobikes allowed on class 385 mainline trains Edinburgh-Falkirk-Glasgow 334 No 2 No Glasgow - Edinburgh via Falkirk High Train class Reservations required Number of cycle spaces Tandems /Larger cycles such as cargo cycles allowed 385 No 4 Yes. Max permissible 250cm length, 70cm width

Website gives detailed info on what types of bike can be carried on what trains What types of cycle can be carried? Tandems and larger cycles including cargo cycles Separable/split tandems Motorbikes, mopeds including electric mopeds, tricycles, folding tricycles and non-folding cycle trailers E-bikes E-scooters, e-unicycles, e-hoverboards, e-skateboards Scooters (flatbed) Folding 2 wheeled cycles

ScotRail webpage showing various bike/rail possibilities... We're developing a seamlessly integrated cycle and rail network. We've installed more cycle parking at our stations so it's easier to securely leave your bike before catching the train, or you can take your bike with you. There's no additional charge to take your bike on our trains and for some journeys you’ll need to reserve a space in advance. There are plenty of reasons to leave the car at home and take the bike instead – to keep fit, have fun, or do your bit for the environment. Combining a bike ride with train travel is a brilliant way to see the country or just to get about town. Man wheeling a bike along station platform Bikes on trains You can take your bike on the train for free but you'll need to reserve a cycle space on some services. Highland Explorer carriage livery ScotRail Highland Explorer Our Highland Explorer carriages - which run on the West Highland Line - have been designed to support active travel, providing space and storage for bikes and other sporting gear. Cyclist on a station platform Guide to travelling with a bike on trains Guide to cycle space availability, and how to safely board and stow your bike during your journey.

HIghland Explorer specialised bike carriages... ScotRail Highland Explorer carriage on a bridge over the water ScotRail Highland Explorer Share Tweet Pin Share Travel in the UK’s first active travel carriages… In summer 2021, we launched our Highland Explorer carriages along Scotland’s famous West Highland Line. These carriages were a UK first and have helped hundreds of cyclists make the most of the fantastic outdoor opportunities available on the stunning west coast. As well as having seating for 24 people, the Highland Explorer carriages have been especially designed to support active travel by providing the space and storage needed to transport 20 cycles, skis and other large items of sporting equipment. You’ll be able to immediately spot the Highland Explorer carriage as it has an eye-catching livery, depicting iconic views from the West Highland Line. When travelling with a cycle on the West Highland Line, cycle reservations are mandatory, and must be made when booking your ticket.

#BikeRail 🚲<-->🚆

👍 Loads of info on #ScotRail website

👍 most 2-wheel #cargobikes ok on #Edinburgh-#Glasgow

--> www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-jo...

@edi.bike @edfoc.bsky.social @edinreporter.bsky.social @markruskell.bsky.social @transform.scot @alastairdalton.bsky.social @davmaj.bsky.social