Building better connections: People and Place in 2025/26

Our latest blog is by our Programme Manager, Michael Melton. In this post, Michael talks about our People and Place work for the current year, why it’s important and what we’re looking to achieve.

How people move through the world shapes the places they call home. That’s why our People and Place programme sits at the heart of our work, supporting a region-wide shift towards more sustainable, inclusive and active ways to travel.

Thanks to funding from the Scottish Government, our 2025/26 People and Place programme is supporting a wide range of initiatives to make more sustainable decisions, particularly for short, local journeys where the default is often to use a private vehicle.

The aims of our People and Place programme are to:

• Increase the proportion of active and sustainable journeys in our region.
• Raise awareness of the benefits of active and sustainable travel to encourage future behaviour change.
• Enhance the use of active and sustainable travel modes among underrepresented groups who might face additional barriers.
• Collaborate with local authorities and third-sector partners to strengthen capacity and capability in active and sustainable travel.

And our focus areas are schools and young people, workplaces, accessibility and inclusion, and capacity and capability.

We’re doing this by providing four different funds:

• A grant fund for public bodies, charities or community organisations who have experience in delivering large sustainable transport behaviour change projects. The grant fund is supporting projects with a minimum value of £50,000.
• A Community Grant Fund for community groups, community interest companies and charities delivering in the SEStran region and for projects with a value between £5,000 to £50,000.
• Funding directly to local authorities
• A cycle access fund, administered on our behalf by Cycling UK

We’ve chosen to focus our funding in this way as we know that local authorities and local organisations are often best placed to understand the barriers and opportunities specific to their communities. And the scale of an impactful project can vary greatly.

We know that access to sustainable travel is not experienced equally, so equity is embedded in our approach. Cost, geography, ability and confidence all influence the transport choices people feel able to make, so we are putting a strong emphasis on reaching those who face the greatest barriers to active travel. This includes work with disabled people, low-income communities and rural populations who may lack access to reliable transport options.

Projects funded through the programme will help address these challenges head-on – whether that’s through providing adapted cycles or developing localised support services that build confidence and skills.

Other projects are focussing on minority and marginalised groups to co-design travel options that reflect their lived experience. These community-led interventions are not only effective but also help foster a sense of ownership and momentum around sustainable transport.

In this way, People and Place contributes not just to environmental goals, but also to broader ambitions around social inclusion, health and wellbeing.

As we enter a new year of delivery, we’re excited to see the impact of our People and Place funded projects. This work isn’t just about reducing emissions or easing congestion – though those are vital outcomes. It’s about building a region where everyone, regardless of background or postcode, can choose active and sustainable travel, and where healthier lifestyles, connected communities and resilient local economies are shaped by the transport choices we make each day.

To learn more about the programme and see examples of the projects making a difference, visit sestran.gov.uk/people-and-place.