How are big cars changing our streets? Across Scotland, cars are getting bigger and heavier year on year. Designed for off-road use, SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) and 4x4s take up more and more space on our streets - making towns and cities increasingly congested and dangerous for people walking, wheeling, and cycling. In our latest report, we found that local authorities are already grappling with the pressures created by heavier, bulkier vehicles. As vehicles have grown, so have the pressures on limited street space: - Take up more room and reduce space for walking, cycling and everyday street life - Accelerate wear and tear on roads due to greater axle loads - Increase the severity of injuries in collisions (with significantly higher risks for children) compared to standard cars - Contribute to poorer air quality through increased tyre and brake particle emissions We’re calling on decision‑makers to act on the evidence and introduce measures that prioritise safer, healthier and fairer use of street space.

As part of Earth Raise 2026’s Big Give, we’re raising funds to build support for policies tackling the growing impacts of oversized SUVs. 👇 donate.biggive.org/campaign/… Donations support workshops, policy briefings, public materials, and on‑street polling to understand and communicate public appetite for traffic‑reduction measures focused on larger vehicles.

🚦 It’s Road Safety Week, and like many of you, we’ve been thinking about what it feels like to move through our cities, whether that's walking kids to school, cycling to work, or just trying to cross the road. That’s why we’re excited to share our new paper, "The harms of SUV use in Scottish cities,” written by Professor Adrian Davis. It discusses something many of us have noticed: cars are getting bigger, heavier, and harder to live alongside. The impacts of SUV use are real: - Children are eight times more likely to die if struck by an SUV. - Cyclists suffer head injuries that are 63% more severe in SUV collisions. - SUVs emit 25% more CO2 than medium-size cars.

Lovemybus is hitting the road again! 🚌 We’re excited to relaunch our 'lovemybus' campaign, delivering fun and educational youth programmes to schools across Scotland. Hop on board here: facebook.com/lovemybus.youth…

Previously, we: 📍Reached 10,000 young people in 22 local authority areas 📍Partnered with 9 major bus companies - including Stagecoach, McGill’s, First, Lothian, West Coast Motors & Borders Buses 📍Delivered 200 interactive presentations