The Power of Walking

Kevin Lafferty, our Chief Executive Officer

At Walking Scotland, we’re calling for greater commitment on walking and wheeling. With our partner, Living Streets Scotland, we ask all political parties to endorse the proposals included in ‘The Power of Walking – A Walking and Wheeling Manifesto for 2026.’ which sets out proposals for the next Scottish Government. We will be talking to them over the coming weeks and months leading up to the Holyrood elections in May 2026.

The proposals are practical, proven measures which we believe can make walking and wheeling not just possible, but easy, safe and enjoyable for everyone in Scotland. 

There is good evidence that investing in walking and wheeling leads to healthier, more accessible, better connected and more sustainable communities. 

A renewed commitment on walking could deliver a world-leading programme of initiatives to get more people walking and wheeling more often. We want Scotland to be a nation where everyone, no matter where they live, or what their circumstances, has opportunities to walk or wheel in their daily lives.  

Walking and wheeling can become the natural choice as an essential component of sustainable transport systems, promoting health, reducing air pollution, tackling transport poverty and fostering community connection. Walking and wheeling are low-carbon sustainable forms of active travel, and they are free, inclusive and accessible to all.  

Investment and support for walking and wheeling delivery will reduce carbon emissions and environmental impacts of “first and last mile journeys”. It will foster a stronger sense of community, reduce loneliness, increase pedestrian spend, support learning, boost productivity and job satisfaction, improve access to public transport and lead to a healthier nation. 

Walking and wheeling are vital to addressing some of the most formidable challenges of our time, and contribute to improving outcomes across a broad range of public policy areas. Walking and wheeling hold the key to meaningful increases to the levels of physical activity among Scotland’s population. Simply put, walking and wheeling are the most affordable, accessible and practical means of increasing activity levels among the public. There is a need for a renewed, robust commitment to support this.  

Unlike most other physical activities or forms of active travel, such as cycling, walking and wheeling require little or no specialist equipment. Furthermore, almost all of us already walk or wheel to some degree, and even modest increases in these activities can yield measurable benefits. 

• Most people are walking or wheeling regularly. 85% are doing so either every day or several times a week. 

• 84% agree that they enjoy walking for health, 80% for relaxation, and 77% for clearing their heads and improving concentration.

The current pressure on our health services makes increasing levels of physical activity imperative; two thirds of adults in Scotland are overweight, while the incidence of some related conditions, such as diabetes, is increasing and an estimated 23% of deaths are attributable to being overweight. 

Added to this, we are faced with a climate crisis that demands swift and decisive action to reduce carbon emissions associated with transport, and substituting journeys undertaken by private cars with walking and wheeling when possible is an essential part of efforts to reduce emissions.  

Higher levels of walking and wheeling can contribute to better learning outcomes in schools and increased productivity at work, it also helps to reverse the decline of town and city centres, ease pressure on social care services, and supports efforts to reduce inequalities.  

• Around 7 in 10 Scots support the concept of ‘20-minute neighbourhoods’, where everyday needs can be met by a short walk or wheel from their home. 

• 69% and 60% want to walk more for leisure and routine purposes, respectively. 

• Feeling safer at night (34%), pavements being of a better quality (32%) and someone to walk with (31%) are top of the list for encouraging walking. 

The “Power of Walking” offers 4 practical steps the future Scottish Government can take to make walking and wheeling safer, more accessible, and part of daily life: 

• Put walking and wheeling at the heart of government – with progressive leadership across health, transport, planning and climate agendas. 

• Invest in walking and wheeling – focusing on long-term funding, behavioural programmes, and better connections to public transport. 

• Prioritise walking and wheeling in communities – through improved infrastructure, inclusive design, and access to green spaces. 

• Improve safety for walking and wheeling – by promoting pedestrian-first streets including reduced traffic speeds and enforcement of pavement parking bans. 

Overall, the benefits of walking and wheeling are massive.  There is a clear need for a renewed, robust commitment to support walking and wheeling delivery in Scotland. The Walking and Wheeling Manifesto sets out the asks and recommendations for the next Scottish Government.

We will explore the societal benefits and positive impact in greater detail in future blogs.