Celebrating 10 Years of a National Mountain Bike Strategy

Lee Cousins, independent chair of the MTB Consortium for the last 4 years, said

“I took over as Chair because I was impressed by the level of co-ordination at national and regional levels that was implicit and embedded in the National Strategy. What became apparent as especially notable was that this co-ordination was, and continues to be, leading to tangible benefits to increasing the number of participants, growing the sport, helping our riders achieve on the world stage and growing the economic impact of the sport.

I would like to personally thank everyone who has been involved in helping to deliver the strategy from the funders*, the members of the MTB Consortium and riders who have given up their time to help grow the sport.”

Graeme McLean, who has spent the last 10 years as the Head of DMBinS, explains the journey mountain biking has been on over the period

“After the incredible growth in the early 2000’s with 7stanes trail centres, Highland trail centres and the growth of the UCI World Cups and World Championships in 2007, there was a need for Scottish mountain biking to set up structures and a way of working across the country to help the sport move sustainably into the future. The strategic framework launched in 2010 really helped define why and how we should begin to work together at national, regional and local levels. This led to many needed projects such as urban trail developments, including the explosion of pump tracks across Scotland, and growing the participation base and clubs across Scotland.

This solid structure has allowed our new national strategy to be very ambitious, develop a co-ordinated and monitored action plan and it is fantastic to see many, if not all, of the projects contained within that plan being taken forward, not only by DMBinS, but a range of stakeholders across Scotland.

It is incredibly exciting times for Scottish mountain biking.”