Scottish Children's School Travel Habits: Cycling Surges, Driving Reaches Peak, and Active Travel Advocates Urge Infrastructure Investment

A recent survey highlights a contrasting trend in Scottish children's travel to school: while cycling has reached an all-time high, the reliance on private cars for school journeys has also hit a record peak. Although active modes of transport remain popular overall, there are growing concerns regarding a decrease in walking and a substantial reduction in cycling participation among older students. This dual development underscores the need for continued investment in safe and accessible cycling infrastructure to encourage healthier and more sustainable travel habits from a young age.

The annual Hands Up Scotland poll, conducted by the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, gathers data from approximately 500,000 students and nursery-aged children across Scotland, with participation from around 80% of the nation's schools. The latest survey, carried out in September 2025, revealed that walking remains the most frequent mode of transport, accounting for 38.8% of school commutes. However, this figure represents a 1% decline from the previous year and a 4% drop over the past decade.

Conversely, the proportion of children cycling to school saw an increase of 0.8% since the last survey, reaching 4.7%. This matches the record high observed in 2023, indicating a positive trajectory for cycling. Despite this encouraging rise, a notable disparity emerges between primary and secondary school students. While 7% of primary school children cycle to school, this figure plummets to just 1.3% for secondary school pupils, suggesting a significant drop-off in cycling as children age.

The survey also found that scooting and skating held steady at 2.9%, contributing to an overall active travel rate of 46.4% among Scottish children, a slight decrease from the previous year. However, the most concerning finding was the increase in children being driven to school, which rose to 24%, up 0.1% from the prior year and 1.7% since 2016, marking the highest level recorded since the survey's inception.

In response to these findings, cycling advocates have voiced both optimism and concern. Dr. Lee Muir, head of programmes at the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust in Scotland, welcomed the record-high cycling figures but stressed the need to address the decline in walking and the significant drop-off in cycling among older students. He emphasized the importance of regular physical activity for young people's health, well-being, and development, highlighting its role in fostering confidence, independence, and healthy habits throughout life.

Ian Maxwell of the Spokes campaign group expressed particular worry about the low rate of cycling among secondary school students and called for renewed efforts to establish safe routes to these schools. Mark McIntyre, a spokesperson for Cycling Scotland, reiterated that reliance on private vehicles for school commutes should not become the norm if the goal is to raise healthy and independent young people who can navigate their communities safely. He pointed to the growing evidence that sustained investment in protected cycle lanes is encouraging more people to cycle and that programs like Bikeability Scotland are benefiting many young people, with 14 local authorities now offering on-road training in all primary schools.

The latest report on children's school travel patterns in Scotland presents a complex picture. While there's positive momentum in cycling adoption, the increasing dependence on cars and the sharp decline in active commuting among older students demand immediate attention. This situation highlights the critical importance of developing robust, safe, and integrated active travel networks, particularly around secondary schools, to ensure that children have viable and appealing alternatives to car travel, thereby promoting health, independence, and environmental sustainability.