Cycling UK’s impact in Midlothian

Through our Connecting Communities programme and the Cycle Access Fund, we’re helping residents discover local routes, build confidence and find practical alternatives to car journeys – creating happier, healthier and greener lives.

At our recent Midlothian showcase event, we brought together partners from SEStran, Midlothian Council, community organisations and education providers to share what’s working and plan what comes next.

Connecting Communities in Midlothian: support close to home

Connecting Communities supports people to walk, wheel and cycle for short, everyday journeys, leisure and adventure. Getting active is good for physical and mental health, and it only works if it’s shaped around local people and places.

Across Scotland last year, Connecting Communities:

• Helped 3 in 5 participants start using cycling for local journeys.
• Saw 72% getting more exercise and 69% feeling safer when cycling.
• Supported people to drive less – 45% said they were using the car less.
• Reached many who are often under-represented in cycling: 64% were women and 30% had health conditions.

In Midlothian we’ve been focusing on new growth areas like Shawfair and Auchendinny – places where thousands of new homes are being built and there’s a real opportunity to make walking, wheeling and cycling the easy choice from day one.

Locally, this includes:

• Activities – led rides, health walks and Play Together on Pedals sessions.
• Support – basic bike maintenance and family cycling support.
• Access – bike and electric bike loans, including non-standard and cargo cycles.
• Community – volunteering opportunities that help people share skills and build local networks.

Glenda’s story: from couch to 10 miles

Glenda hadn’t ridden for years when she arrived at a Connecting Communities session in Shawfair, feeling nervous and close to turning back.

What kept her there was the tone of the session: friendly, local and free of jargon. Instructor Kirsty started with a chat, not a checklist – Glenda wanted confidence, some space for herself and, in time, the chance to ride with her autistic son.

They began with a short loop near the park, then gradually tried real journeys Glenda might make, like riding from Shawfair to Eskbank. Week by week, small wins stacked up: smoother starts and stops, looking back without wobbling, taking the lane when she needed to.

The biggest change was in how she saw her area. Paths she’d never noticed now linked home, shops, college and friends. Cycling went from “maybe one day” to “this actually works for us”.

I wasn’t aware of the cycle paths around me, and I’ve learned I can pretty much travel most places by bike. It’s been good for my mental health

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Read more about how Glenda went from first wobble to weekly rides.

Cycle Access Fund: giving organisations the tools they need

While Connecting Communities works directly with people, the Cycle Access Fund helps organisations provide the bikes, equipment and facilities that make these new habits stick.

Across Scotland since 2020, we have:

• Distributed over £7.2 million to organisations.
• Reached more than 87,000 people.
• Supported participants to feel safer and drive less: 88% felt safer when cycling and 78% reported using the car less.
• Reached people on lower incomes: 72% were from households below the average income.

Cycle Access Fund supports individual bike ownership for people who couldn’t otherwise afford a cycle, as well as shared-use schemes like bike libraries, pool bikes and subscriptions that widen access.

It also funds recycled bikes for people on low incomes, low-cost repairs that keep bikes on the road, and better cycle parking and storage so having – and using – a bike is genuinely practical.

Queen Margaret University: widening access to cycling

At the showcase, Queen Margaret University shared how Cycle Access Fund support is helping more students and staff choose cycling for everyday journeys.

• In 2023, they received Individual Bike Ownership funding, providing 18 care-experienced or ex-military students with bikes tailored to their needs. This gave them a reliable, affordable way to travel between home, campus and placements, bringing greater security and independence.
• In 2024, Shared Use funding allowed the university to revitalise its bike hire scheme, adding 10 new bikes and equipment so more people can borrow a bike at low cost.

The university highlighted that our support has been crucial – not just the funding, but also advice on choosing bikes and managing the schemes.

It’s a clear example of how Cycle Access Fund projects can make sustainable travel a real option for people who might otherwise miss out.

Our impact in Midlothian is built on partnership, and we’re grateful to the following organisations for enabling our work:

• SEStran, whose regional support and funding for active travel underpins Connecting Communities and Cycle Access Fund work.
• Midlothian Council, whose backing and local insight help us focus in areas like Shawfair where new communities are growing.

Together, we’re showing how a friendly chat, a short ride and the right local support can turn nervous first tries into confident everyday journeys by bike, opening up new options for individuals, families and communities across Midlothian and helping make active travel a normal part of everyday life in the region.