Walking isn’t only good for our physical, social and mental health. It’s also good for our communities, the environment and the economy.
We support and inspire people in Scotland to walk and wheel more.
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We’ve taken time to digest, and Walking Scotland’s Director of External Affairs and Engagement, Alana Genge, reflects below.
“Scotland faces some urgent challenges – persistent health inequalities, a climate-nature emergency, pressures on public services, and the need to build fairer, more connected communities.
Prevention is, rightly, a central theme throughout the Programme for Government, and it is encouraging that investment for sustainable and active travel will continue for this year.
Despite walking and wheeling being the most affordable, inclusive and scalable ways to improve health, reduce inequality, support public transport, strengthen local economies and cut emissions1,2, they were largely missing from the Programme for Government.
Walking Scotland has urged the Scottish Government to make walking and wheeling a priority by:
The demand is clear. Our Scottish Walking and Wheeling Survey 2025 found that 57% of adults in Scotland walk or wheel every day, up from 52% in 2023, and that 86% walk or wheel several times a week. However, 5% of adults say they never walk, an increase from 2% in 2023. 68% want to walk more for leisure and 63% for routine reasons. Evidence shows that walking interventions offer a benefit cost ratio of around 6:1 in health, economic and environmental benefits3.
At Walking Scotland, we will continue to support people to walk and wheel in schools, workplaces and across our communities to improve their physical, mental, and social health.
We will support efforts to make our streets safer and more accessible.
And, we will continue to ask the Scottish Government to publish and resource the National Walking Framework and set up a sustained, multi-year Scottish Path Fund.
We are asking our politicians to commit to help making walking part of people’s everyday lives, for the short journeys and for the big reasons. To create a Scotland where everyone has the right to walk or wheel safely in the place they call home.”
Published: 2 September 2026
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