Resource Pack

helping to promote active travel in your local community


Welcome to
the movement!
www.weloveleith.com/pledge
Many of us have taken steps to try to ‘do our bit for
the environment’. Recycling more and fitting energy
efficient light bulbs in our homes are great first steps,
but we can all do much more. In Scotland, our carbon
footprint is still growing - and the way we travel is the
fastest growing impact on our carbon legacy. Therefore
we need to take action to change the way we travel
if we’re serious about tackling climate change. The
best way to do this is to reduce our reliance on cars by
walking, cycling or increasing our public transport use.
The ‘We Love Leith’ Campaign aims to inspire Leithers
to travel about their neighbourhood in a way that
impacts less on their environment. We Love Leith hopes
to convince Leithers that walking, cycling and public
transport are the best ways to get around and if more
people chose these methods then Leith would be a
richer, happier and less polluted place to live. We Love
Leith will teach residents about the physical and mental
benefits of active travel choices so they are less likely to
use their cars inefficiently.
We Love Leith also highlights the benefits to Leith as a
whole. Studies have shown that in neighbourhoods where
traffic is reduced because lots of people walk, cycle, or
take public transport, there are fewer road accidents
and neighbourhoods benefit from reduced levels of
noise and air pollution and enjoy better relationships
between neighbours. We Love Leith is also lobbying for
the investment required to create good quality streets to
encourage people to walk and cycle more.
www.weloveleith.com
Pledge Your Love For Leith 2|3
We Love Leith calls upon everybody in Leith to join the movement
by making a We Love Leith ‘pledge’. All householders in Leith will
receive the pledge postcard through the post and additionally the
pledge can be made electronically on the project website. People
are asked to make the following pledges:
Use my local shops more often, getting

discounts with my ‘We Love Leith’ Bonus Bag.
Save time by getting more of my shopping

delivered to my door.
Work from home at least once every two

weeks, instead of driving there every day.
Increase the number of times I walk,

cycle or travel by bus.
Increase the number of times I walk or cycle

with my kids to school.
Join the City Car Club using my We Love

Leith discount.
Cut the pollution my car produces by

adopting ‘eco-driving’ techniques.
This booklet is designed to support the active travel coaches and health professionals
to communicate with members of the public and to encourage them to make this
pledge. The Campaign has already surveyed hundreds of Leithers to find out how
and why they make their travel choices and this booklet is based on its key findings.
This resource will help you answer queries and convince Leithers to take active
modes of transport and keep their pledges to contribute to a more sustainable
lifestyle. Additionally it will cover clever car use and give you websites and
phone numbers for finding out further information.
volunteer training pack
Walking
Pledge Your Love For Leith
Convincing Leithers why
In 2006, 13% of the Scottish population used they should walk more
walking as their main mode of transport and this
has been in steady decline with a significant drop Save money
Roughly a quarter of the
of 6% since 1999 (SHS, 2008). In Leith, 45% liked journeys we make are
within a mile, which can
walking for the health benefits achieved by some easily be walked in under
exercise, 19% for relaxation and the opportunity 20 minutes. Car traffic levels
would decrease by at least
to meet other people and 11% valued the 10% if everybody opted
opportunity to catch some fresh air. Pedestrians in to substitute only one car
journey per week with
Leith dislike its slow nature (24%), litter and dog walking. In the meantime,
mess (23%) and the behaviour of other people the money saved on fuel
and possibly parking goes
(9%) along their way. straight into the pedestrian’s
pocket (or to a well deserved
cup of coffee in a local café.)
Walking is the only means of
travel that is truly free – we
can all do it instantly and
do not need any special
equipment to start.
Health
Starting to walk on a regular
basis is one of the easiest
ways to immediately improve
health. The benefits from 30
minutes walking, five times
a week include reduced risk
of developing heart disease,
diabetes, obesity, stroke
and forms of cancer. Also,
reduced blood pressure,
cholesterol, increased
flexibility, coordination and
self-esteem are all possible
www.weloveleith.com 1. New Economics Foundation
4|5
from increased exercise
through simply choosing to TRAVEL TIMES
walk rather than jumping in
 oughly a quarter of the journeys
R
we make are within a mile, which
can easily be walked in under 20
the car for short trips.
minutes
THE BENEFITS
Cleaner air  he benefits from 30 minutes
T
There are immediate walking, five times a week include
environmental benefits
reduced risk of developing heart
disease, diabetes, obesity, stroke
and forms of cancer
from reduced traffic levels.
Local air quality is improved
and carbon emissions are
reduced.
Vibrant street life
Reduced traffic levels result
in quieter, hence safer roads
and streets for pedestrians
and cyclists to enjoy. Walking
increases trade in local shops
boosting the local economy
and possibly food miles.
Every pound spent in a local
independent shop is worth
£1.76 to the local economy,
whereas every pound spent
in a chain store is only 36p.1
Leithers mentioned they like
meeting people along the
way when travelling by foot.
You are free!
Walking is incredibly flexible
– pedestrians can come and
go whenever they want.
volunteer training pack

Why don’t Leithers walk more?
It is slow
Our survey told us that
24% of people in Leith don’t
like walking because it is
perceived as slow.
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: consider for a
moment if this is truly the
case, especially for those
shorter trips. Is it really
faster to get in and out,
strap children in and out
of their car seats, finding
correct change to feed the
parking meter?
It is tiring
3% of Leithers consider
their poor levels of health
as a reason for concern in
our survey.
Encourage a change in
perspective by looking at
walking as part of your daily
exercise regime, saving you
time by not having to go to
the gym! Also, by walking
on a more regular basis you
will soon build your energy
levels and find that you can
do much more than you
originally thought.
www.weloveleith.com
Heavy shopping
It is true that your arms
have limited capacity in
carrying your shopping,
as recognised by some
people in Leith.
Ask if they have considered
home delivery of heavy
goods or your weekly shop
or perhaps consider using a
shopping trolley?
Wet climate
20% of Leithers dislike
the adverse weather
conditions for walking.
Check the weather
forecast before you
set off to avoid getting
caught in a downpour.
The metcheck.com gives
you a local 48 hour rain
risk forecast. Perhaps
invest in a good umbrella
or anorak. As one famous
Scotsman said: ‘there is no
such thing as bad weather,
just bad clothes!’
Pledge Your Love For Leith
Next steps to do more of it
Travel Map
Show people the ‘We Love
Leith’ Travel Map and look
at how long it would take for
them to walk to Leith’s key
destinations.
Removing obstacles
15% of Leithers have
reported they would walk
more if there is reduced
litter/vandalism and dog
mess. If people point out
specific physical obstructions
such as broken stones in the
pavement, broken fencing
then point out the ways to
get this fixed (See We Love
Our Street section). 14%
of people also mentioned
they would walk more if the
pedestrian infrastructure was
improved.
Ask for their ideas and
pass this on to Alastair
Tibbitt to include in his
campaigning efforts.
6|7
Better planning
OBSTACLES
Planning the route before
 5% of Leithers have reported
1
you go saves stress. Use they would walk more if there
is reduced litter/vandalism and
walkit.com to route-plan, dog mess
by simply entering start and  4% of people also mentioned
1
end locations (postcodes or they would walk more if the
pedestrian infrastructure was
streets). walkit.com provides improved
a route and how long it will
take you. It will even go so
far as calculating calories and
how much CO2 emissions
the journey helps to avoid.
The site features a feedback
service which allows you to
make recommendations
for improvements if it
needs any.
Get support from your
employer
Encourage people to talk
to employers and lobby
for improved provisions for
walkers such as cloakrooms
and lockers. A flexible
approach to working
hours could fit in better
when you are commuting
by foot.
volunteer training pack
Cycling
Most people can ride a bike, and around
one in three people in the UK own a bike.
In Edinburgh, there are more bicycles than
there are cars. People in Leith like cycling
for health benefits (33%), convenience
and independence (9%) and relative
speedy way of getting around (8%).
www.weloveleith.com
Pledge Your Love For Leith
Convincing Leithers why they
should start cycling more
Money
Cycling is cheap. The initial
capital outlay on a bicycle
is typically much lower than
that spend on a car, while no
additional fees for parking,
MOT, insurance and fuel are
necessary. In comparison to
the average £273 spent on
car maintenance per year,
£75 is spent on maintaining
a bicycle. Cycling saves on
the £1 in every £6 spent
on travel in the average UK
household.
Ask how much they
usually spend on travel
each week (or even going
to the gym!).
Ask your pledgers how
much regular exercise
they get, and whether
they think this is enough.
Health
Cycling on a regular basis
can be as much exercise
as a person needs. When
compared with gym
membership, cycling is a lot
more cost effective, and can
result in the same aerobic
benefits. You can get all the
exercise you need just by
going to work! Associated
health statistics:
 omeone who cycles at
S Cycling is the quickest
least half an hour a day can
be as fit as someone ten
years younger
J ust one hour of cycling
per week can cut your
risk of getting cancer
by a third, as well as
reducing your chances of
developing diabetes or
heart problems
It also adds many years
onto your life expectancy
 ycling can firm and tone
C
the leg muscles whilst
aiding weight loss due to
increased metabolic rate
Aerobic fitness is increased
 yclists inhale less traffic
C space for pedestrians and
pollutants than car drivers
8|9
COST
In comparison to the average
£273 spent on car maintenance
per year, £75 is spent on
maintaining a bicycle
THE BENEFITS
 ycling on a regular basis can
C
be as much exercise as a person
needs. When compared with gym
membership, cycling is a lot more
cost effective, and can result in
the same aerobic benefits
Time
way to get around town. It
takes you direct from A to
B, no waiting for the bus,
no getting stuck in traffic.
Ask how long their journey
normally takes.
Cleaner air and more space
Substituting a short car
journey with a bicycle
ride saves the release
of 2kg carbon into the
atmosphere, while being 70
times more energy efficient
and consuming only 0.03MJ
of energy per kilometre.
Bicycles require very little
parking space (10 bicycles
occupying the same area as
a single car) allowing more
cyclists to get around safely.
volunteer training pack

Why don’t Leithers CYCLE more?
The main issue Leithers
dislike about cycling
is the behaviour of
other road users (20%),
which makes them feel
vulnerable on the roads
(13%). Poor weather
conditions (8%) and
cycle infrastructure (8%)
are two other aspects
that make cycling less
appealing.
Safety
In Leith 33% are
concerned for their safety
and cycling is perceived as
dangerous (13%) and the
behaviour of other road
users. Yet, cycling is far
safer than many people
think, and there is a lot a
cyclist can do to make it
even safer.
Advice for ‘We Love
Leith’ pledgers: ask when
they last cycled and
suggest they take some
cycle lessons, available
from the Bike Station. (As
an active travel coach you
can receive training in
becoming a cycle buddy/
trainer which means you
can offer your own tips &
hints too.)
www.weloveleith.com
Traffic, dangerous
junctions
Plan your route carefully
and see if you can go
along quieter roads. Get
a cycle map of Edinburgh
or visit www.cyclestreets.
net to plan the journey
for you. This website
also allows you to select
a quiet route. If you
want to start cycling a
regular route, identify any
dangerous junctions such
as roundabouts or traffic
lights and learn how to
navigate them on days
when you are not in a
rush. Failing that, get off
your bike and push it to
the other side! Try cycling
on a Sunday when there is
less traffic.
Advice for ‘We Love
Leith’ pledgers: ask your
pledgers where they
might cycle, and see if
you can suggest an easier
route using the Active
Travel Map of Leith.
Weather
It doesn’t actually rain
that often in Edinburgh,
and in fact the wettest
month is July – the busiest
cycling month of the
year. The driest months
are February – April. It is
therefore not likely that
you will get soaked when
cycling – but plan ahead
and follow the weather
forecast. If it really is
going to pour down, get
the bus or a taxi. Invest in
some waterproof trousers
and top and have a spare
set of clothes at work.
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: ask pledgers if
they can remember the
last time it rained on their
way to work.
Hills
Edinburgh has a
reputation for being hilly
– but is it really? With the
exception of Broughton
Street, Dundas Street and
the Mound, most of Leith
and North Edinburgh is
pretty flat with hills being
short and sharp.
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: ask pledgers
to look at the route, is it
really that hilly? Can they
plan the journey to avoid
hills? A decent bike with
Pledge Your Love For Leith
proper gears makes hills
easier, especially the fitter
you get. Remind them:
if it is uphill on the way,
it will be downhill on the
way back!
Broken or no bike
Getting a second hand
bike could not be easier.
Look out for classifieds
in local newspapers,
advertisement spaces in
shops, online on www.
gumtree.com or www.
ebay.co.uk, in the paper
or go to the Bike Station.
Or buy a new one from a
local bike shop. Nearest
shops can be found on
the Active Travel Map.
If your bike is broken,
try fixing it yourself. This
is easier than you might
think and there are plenty
of books and websites
to show you how. The
Bike Station opens its
workshop to the public
twice a week (Wednesday
4pm - 8pm and Saturday
12 - 4pm) or else take it
your local bike shop for a
service. Regular oiling and
cleaning makes cycling a
lot easier and makes your
bike last longer.
Advice for ‘We Love
Leith’ pledgers: ask
pledgers what’s wrong
with their bike. Is it really
as bad as they think?
Point them in the right
direction to get it fixed.
Getting sweaty
Some people (2% in our
survey) think they will end
up hot and sweaty if they
cycle to work. This depends
on how fast you cycle and
what you are wearing. Try
not to speed your way to
work but take it nice and
slow. Wear lightweight
clothing. If it is cold, don’t
wrap up too much as you
may start off chilly but will
soon warm up.
10 | 11
Keep a spare jumper or
coat at work – you need
a lot less clothes cycling
than walking, so will still
need a warm jacket to go
to the shops at lunchtime.
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: Ask pledgers
what they wear to work,
and what lightweight
clothes they already have.
How far is their work, and
are they really going to
get that sweaty?
volunteer training pack

Next steps to do more of it
Set a challenge
Advice for ‘We Love
Leith’ pledgers: the first
stage is to get a bike in
proper working order.
Cyclists need lights, a
helmet and may need a
bike map or to go online
to start planning routes.
Pick a nice day and go
on a leisurely bike ride on
the off-road cycle lanes –
perhaps to Cramond along
the seafront – it’s flat, scenic
and safe. Take someone
along. Start taking the bike
on short journeys – to the
shops, to a friend’s. Plan
a route to work and start
cycling in. Then eventually
start going everywhere by
bike. Don’t give up.
Start a BUG
Bicycle User Groups
(BUG) can act as a forum
through which cyclists can
communicate with each
other and lobby with local
authorities and employers
in a more effective way.
www.weloveleith.com
Pledge Your Love For Leith 12 | 13
Become a cycle friendly
ESSENTIALS
Employer
 yclists need lights, a helmet
C
Entering schemes such and may need a bike map or
to go online to start planning
as the Cycle Friendly routes
Employer Award as  arrying loads. A good and
C
operated by Cycling
Substituting a short car
safe way to carry loads on
a bike is by using panniers,
Scotland, can act as baskets and trailers. Bikes can
journey with a bicycle ride
also be pushed when carrying
an incentive to uptake heavy goods
cycling in the workplace,
saves the release of 2kg
alongside additional
measures to incentivise
carbon into the atmosphere,
cycling including interest-
free bicycle loans, and
discounted bicycle
purchase. while being 70 times more
Report on infrastructure
49% of Leithers mentioned
energy efficient; consuming
they would cycle more if
cycle infrastructure would
only 0.03MJ of energy per
be improved.
kilometre.
Allow people to point out
ideas for improvements
for example areas for bike
parking, and dedicated
cycle lanes. The Future
Travel Map could serve
as a prompt here.
volunteer training pack
Public transport
Pledge Your Love For Leith
The best thing Leithers like about public transport
is the fact that it is cheap, convenient and reliable
(42%). Curbing the use of private cars in favour
of public transport also has financial benefits for
employers, such as lower transport costs on fuel,
reduced need for expensive parking lots, increased
productivity by staff being able to work en-route,
and demonstrating an overall commitment to Convincing Leithers why they
protect the environment. should use the bus or train more
No parking problems
People in Leith liked the
fact that they do not have
to worry about driving and
parking when travelling by
bus or train (8%).
Good use of time
Travelling on the bus can
be a sociable event. There
is no need to concentrate
on the road, so bus users
can have a good chat
with a friend, chill out and
take a breather, read their
favourite book in peace, or
even opt to do some work.
Comfort and ability to eat,
drink and read was valued
by 5% of our respondents.
www.weloveleith.com
14 | 15
More space on the road
COST
A recent Swedish
 he best thing Leithers like about
T
campaign pointed out that public transport is the fact that it
is cheap, convenient and reliable
1 coach has the potential (42%)
to take away 54 cars from
THE BENEFITS
the road (when travelling  eople in Leith liked the fact
P
at full capacity). In our that they do not have to worry
about driving and parking when
survey 6% appreciated the travelling by bus or train
environmental benefits of
public transport. Fewer
cars on the road in turn
ease congestion and
associated air pollution
and create a more
pleasant environment for
walking and cycling.
volunteer training pack

Why don’t Leithers use public
transport more?
It is expensive
In contrast to a large number
of people stating public
transport as cheap, 11%
think it is too expensive.
If you drive a second-hand
car 5,000 miles per year,
it will cost you around
£2,500 per year, or £7 per
day.2 Contrast this with
the costs of bus fares and
passes to challenge this
belief. For example, a
single ticket costs £1.20
for an adult and £0.70 for
children (5 to 15 years
of age) on Lothian Bus
services. Just getting two
single tickets per day for
a week adds up to £16.80,
whereas a weekly pass is
priced at £15 (adult), £13
(young) and £10 (child).
www.weloveleith.com
Advice for ‘We Love
Leith’ pledgers: ask your
pledgers how much it
costs to feed the parking
meter or how much they
spend on fuel per week
and compare this with
prices above.
Not sure when and
where to get on
A common barrier for
people to start using
public transport is lack
of information on the
location of bus stops,
services and routes.
Irregular service puts
people off (20%).
There are some great
websites that provide
you with detailed
descriptions of how to get
from A to B using public
2. Cutting Your Car Use – Save money, Be healthy, Be green! Anna Semlyen, 2003
transport. Simply enter
the postcodes or address
details of your location
and destination and they
give you the best way of
getting there. Some even
map out quick walking
routes to the nearest
bus stop, along with
timetables of the buses.
Example sites are:
www.travelinescotland.com
www.transportdirect.info
www.lothianbuses.com
Pledge Your Love For Leith
Next steps to do more of it
Look at what Adventure
is out there Children are fascinated by
Look at the Leith Travel buses, trains and trams.
Map and locate the Why not treat them to an
nearest bus stops and adventure as part of your
where buses addressing household shopping duties?
these stops can lead you. Prams can carry a lot of
the shopping; alternatively
shopping trolleys are handy
for taking heavier and
bulkier items.
16 | 17
Speak to your
neighbours
Find out who has signed
up to the pledge by
checking out
www.weloveleith.com/
pledge-map in your
neighbourhood. Talk to
your neighbours, local
family and friends and
ask them about their
experience with public
transport and what
works best for them.
INFORMATION
 common barrier for people
A
to start using public transport
is lack of information on
location of bus stops,
services and routes
 here are some great websites
T
that provide you with detailed
descriptions of how to get from
A to B using public transport
volunteer training pack
 Pledge Your Love For Leith
Clever car use Eco-driving
Some people need to drive
a car for some journeys
but there are some simple
The percentage of people reporting
steps to cut the pollution
‘low car use’ is relatively high at 33% by adopting ‘eco-driving’
techniques. Fuel use can
in Leith, however there is still a significant be cut by about 15% just
by changing driving and
number of people using the car for leisure maintenance habits. Eco-
and shopping trips (27%). Car use mainly for driving saves money and
helps the environment.
commuting is relatively low at 13%, which
may reflect that the car is also being used Top tips for eco-driving:
Shift to a higher gear as
for other purposes. soon as possible. Driving
at lower engine speeds
reduces fuel consumption;
change up between 2,000
and 2,500 rpm.
Anticipate road conditions
and drive more smoothly.
Rather than last minute
braking, decelerate
smoothly by releasing the
throttle as early as possible.
With the car in gear and the
throttle released, a modern
car uses almost no fuel at all.
Maintain a steady speed in
as high a gear as possible.
Driving at a steady speed
requires little effort for
the engine. Avoiding
unnecessary acceleration
and heavy braking
helps reduce your fuel
www.weloveleith.com
18 | 19
consumption. Drive a little
slower than your normal
speed. Stick to the speed
limits and make your fuel go
TOP TIPS
 hift to a higher gear as soon
S
as possible. Driving at lower
engine speeds reduces fuel
consumption; change up
further. Driving at 50mph between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm
rather than 70mph reduces
your fuel consumption by
 aintain a steady speed in as
M
high a gear as possible. Driving
at a steady speed requires little
10% at a stroke. effort for the engine
What kind of car do
you need?
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: ask your pledger
to think about what their
requirements really are
and consider the size of
the car they need. For
example, if their children
have left home do they
really need a large family
car? Why not aim for the
car with the lowest CO2
emissions that meets their
requirements? Generally
smaller cars tend to be
more fuel efficient.
What type of fuel is best?
Diesel cars usually produce
less CO2 than petrol
equivalents but produce
more of the emissions
that cause pollution
and affect our health. A
Diesel Particulate Filter
(DPF) reduces these
harmful emissions from
diesel engines. Most
manufacturers now sell cars
volunteer training pack

with DPFs, but you may
have to request this as an
extra. Modern petrol cars
are increasingly efficient.
For more information on
purchasing a low CO2 car
or more eco-driving tips
contact the Energy Saving
Scotland advice centre on
0800 512 012.
Join a Car Club
Lots of people in the city
have a car, but only use it
for odd trips. If this sounds
familiar, it would be less
hassle, and cheaper, to join
the City Car Club. This is
because every Car Club car
on the road takes about 20
private cars off the road –
helping to free up space on
our streets for things that
encourage more people to
walk and bike, like proper
cycle lanes, or street trees.
Car clubs are a relatively
www.weloveleith.com
new concept. The idea
is that the club owns
and maintains a fleet of
cars which members can
book by the hour, day or
for however long they
want. The club pays for all
tax, insurance, servicing,
cleaning and even fuel –
members aren’t liable for
any running costs (more on
www.citycarclub.co.uk).
Advice for ‘We Love
Leith’ pledgers: tell your
pledgers the Edinburgh
City Car Club offers a 50%
discount for people living
in Leith. Simply join
on line at www.citycarclub.
co.uk and complete the
joining form using the
promotional code WLL347
and they will even get
their first £25.00 worth
of driving free!
Booking a car
couldn’t be easier:
Book – Once you join it
takes just seconds to log
in to the booking area and
reserve your car. Or you can
book over the phone for a
small charge. You can even
book directly from the car
itself.
Jump in – Hold your
membership card over
the card reader on the
windscreen to unlock the
car. Once you’re inside the
car, tap your PIN into the
on-board computer, and
grab the keys.
Drive away – It’s all yours;
care-free driving, courtesy
of City Car Club.
Pledge Your Love For Leith
Tripshare
There is another way
to reduce the cost and
environmental impact of
driving and that is to see
whether there is anyone
else nearby who you could
share your journeys with.
TripshareEdinburgh.com is
a free online database that
allows members to find travel
companions to share all types
of journeys – by car, foot or
bike.  You can even use it to
share a taxi. Benefits include:
reduced cost of petrol and
vehicle wear & tear of up
to £1,000 a year by car
sharing; reduced congestion;
reduced emissions; increased
fitness by sharing journeys
through Walk and Bike
Budi teams; improved and
quicker journeys by learning
from shared journeys; and
reduced taxi costs of up to
80% by using the Taxi Budi
option.
Local shopping
Save fuel by shopping
locally by bike, foot or
public transport, negating
the need to use a car.
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: take a jute ‘We
Love Leith’ shopping bag
with you when you go
shopping and you benefit
from discounts in local
businesses. You’ll be able
to buy a ‘We Love Leith’
shopping bag direct from
the We Love Leith website
or from participating shops.
20 | 21
LOCAL SHOPPING
 ave fuel by shopping locally by
S
bike, foot or public transport,
negating the need to use a car
ONLINE SHOPPING
 nline shopping means one van
O
can deliver a larger number of
peoples’ shopping, rather than
each person driving to get their
shopping
Online shopping
Advice for ‘We Love Leith’
pledgers: join an organic
fruit and vegetable box
scheme or order your
supermarket to deliver
your weekly shop.
Online shopping means
one van can deliver a
larger number of peoples’
shopping, rather than each
person driving to get their
shopping.
volunteer training pack
We love
Pledge Your Love For Leith 22 | 23

our street
Dirty streets that show signs of vandalism or anti- You can contact your area representatives
social behaviour put people off from walking and (Councillors, MP, MSPs, MEPs) by using
cycling. You can help to encourage more people www.writetothem.com
to walk and cycle by reporting vandalism, graffiti,
litter and dog fouling to the City of Edinburgh To report graffiti, litter, dumping and dog
fouling by telephone call 0131 529 3030
Council. The best way to report things to the
council is by using the Fix My Street website
To report roads, lighting and walkway
at www.fixmystreet.com
problems call 0800 232 323

Greener Leith can support schools and community

groups to conduct a ‘street audit’ of their
neighbourhood. To organise this contact Project
Manager Alastair Tibbitt on 07955 876360

www.weloveleith.com volunteer training pack

Further reading
Living Streets Scotland, on clear pavements, street audits
and quality bus stops: www.livingstreetsscotland.org.uk

Sustrans the UK’s largest sustainable transport charity:

www.sustrans.org.uk

Choose Another Way promoting sustainable travel choices:

www.chooseanotherway.com

Paths to Health: www.pathsforall.org.uk/pathstohealth

Spokes promoting cycling in the Lothian region:

www.spokes.org.uk

Cycling Scotland: www.cyclingscotland.org

For a list of organised bike rides in and around Edinburgh:

www.cycling-edinburgh.org.uk

www.tripshareedinburgh.com is a quick and easy way

to find someone who could share your journeys

Acknowledgements
This booklet was written by SISTech on behalf of the We Love Leith
project team. The We Love Leith project is sponsored by the Climate
Challenge Fund. Special thanks for contributions go to Lisa Black
(SEStran), Michael Cosford (Energy Saving Scotland), Keith Stark (City
Car Club) and Mark Sydenham (The Bike Station).