Cycling review marks year a success in South of Scotland
Significant progress was made in 2024 to ensure the South of Scotland achieves its aim of becoming one of the world’s leading cycling destinations.
The latest South of Scotland Cycling Partnership Strategy annual review highlights the various achievements and activities by businesses, community groups and public sector across the region over the last 12 months.
The 10-year strategy – launched in 2022 – aims to deliver a thriving legacy from the South’s success as a host destination for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
Achievements in 2024 included:
- Scottish Borders hosting the Tour of Britain, bringing an economic boost of £2.5million
- Dumfries & Galloway the location for the first-ever sanctioned British Enduro Championships in Ae Forest – hosting 500 competitors over the weekend
- Nomination for the inaugural UCI Cycling for All & Sustainability Awards in the UCI Bike City Category
- Official launch of the Kirkpatrick C2C, South of Scotland’s Coast to Coast cycle route which offers 250 miles of uninterrupted joy for experienced cyclists from Stranraer to Eyemouth
- South of Scotland Cycling Infrastructure Fund which supported 30 tourism businesses, social enterprises and organisations to improve their facilities for visiting cyclists
- Variety of infrastructure projects to enhance cycling paths and safer crossings, including Penpont to Thornhill and in Dumfries, Stranraer, Lockerbie, Hawick, Peebles and Eddleston. There has also been investment in pump tracks in Jedburgh, Stow and Walkerburn.
- Hosting of the Scottish Mountain Biking Conference, attracting 200 delegates from across the world including industry leaders, as well as the Women in the Bike Industry Summit
- Hosting of various events including Raiders Gravel and The Gralloch, Tweed Love and Light Up the Trail.
- South of Scotland represented on a panel at the UCI Mobility Conference in Abu Dhabi, sharing the region’s success stories.
Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise, said:
“The South of Scotland Cycling Partnership Strategy annual review highlights the exceptional contribution of partners, businesses and community groups across the South who have made positive social and environmental impacts which cycling provides to our region.
“We want cycling to become the most popular choice for shorter, everyday journeys by 2032 in the South, and the review highlights the progress being made to achieving our collective goal.”
The South of Scotland Cycling Partnership is made up of a series of local and national organisations representing thousands of people across the region.
The annual review is available to read here.