Scots urged to get out and about by bike

Transport minister Keith Brown has urged Scots to embrace pedal power in 2013.

Mr Brown said he was looking forward to getting on his bike more in the coming 12 months and called on others to follow his example.

To help achieve that, he vowed to do everything possible to make cycling an “attractive and viable option for more people”.

Mr Brown said it had been a “fantastic year for cycling in Scotland” and the Olympic successes, such as Sir Chris Hoy winning gold in London, had led to a “huge surge in interest in cycling both for recreation and as a way of getting around”.

In his New Year message, he said: “I am looking forward to getting on my bike more and to doing all I can in my role as transport minister to make this an attractive and viable option for more people throughout Scotland.

“We are already supporting projects to make the road network more cycle-friendly and, in 2013, we’ll launch a refreshed Cycling Action Plan. This will include a target to further reduce casualties, new commitments on education, training, improved signage, consideration of cycling in roads design and greater use of 20mph zones.”