It's not too late to tell us your Orkney Travel Matters

Over 500 folk have had their say on travel habits in Orkney – and the feedback has been exceptional.

But we’d love to hear from more households.

That’s the message from Sustrans and their partner on the Orkney Travel Matters survey, Orkney Islands Council.

There’s also a few standouts in the responses gathered so far – as Susan Shearer, Service Manager for Development and Marine Planning at the Council, explains:

“Responses are showing that Orkney has a high proportion of people cycling at least some of the time – approaching half of households so far tell us they cycle every now and then, which according to Sustrans is quite high compared to other areas in Scotland.

“And thanks must go to the community for the quality of their responses too – people have really taken the time to tell us their concerns and what they see as challenges to walking or wheeling more often, and the reasons they choose to travel the way they do now.

“The exceptional level and quality of detail people are giving will be hugely helpful at the reporting stage in painting a picture of the needs and aspirations in Orkney when it comes to getting about in more active, sustainable ways.

“We’re really pleased with the level of engagement so far, but would love to draw out even more responses before the survey closes at the end of this month.

“Interestingly, at this stage we have twice the number of results from women than we do from men – so it would be especially nice to get more responses from that demographic.”

The Orkney Travel Matters survey follows on from the wide ranging Orkney Matters survey last year – where many local people expressed a desire to walk and wheel more often.

Survey results will help guide and inform future work on ‘active travel’ projects in Orkney.

The survey closes on 31 March 2023.

Leaflets were delivered to most Orkney households last month, asking people to follow a link to an online survey.

If you have lost your leaflet and would like to take part in the survey, or need assistance, you can text 07974561181 or email info@eylandskyn.co.uk to request a link, a paper survey, or other help. Please provide one response per household.

Respondees go into a prize draw for £100 shopping vouchers and other prizes.

About Sustrans

Sustrans is the charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle. They work to connect people and places, create liveable neighbourhoods, transform the school run and deliver a happier, healthier commute.

More information

To find out more about Orkney Travel Matters read our previous news release.