Are Stirling’s cycle paths being used? I hopped on my bike to find out

Stirling’s bike lanes have been a sore point for some residents ever since construction on the £11 million active travel project started in 2020.

Feedback ranges from concerns around the cost of the work to the impact on traffic.

And it’s not uncommon to hear claims that ‘no one’ uses the network of cycle paths stretching from the city centre to the university campus.

So, on a weekday afternoon, I set out to see for myself how busy the bike paths were (or were not) – and to ask members of the public what they really think.

8 cyclists spotted in 20 minutes

Sitting outside Stirling train station, I must cut a strange figure – eyes glued to the cycle path as I patiently wait for a lone cyclist to pass me by.

As waves of American tourists pour out of a coach to my right, the first cyclist wobbles into view, gingerly navigating the crossing from Station Road.

Resplendent in a bright yellow high-vis jacket and black helmet, he crosses the road safely, turns left and doggedly sets out up the slight incline of Goosecroft Road that leads to Riverside.

From that point on, the cyclists come thick and fast, from all walks of life.

In total, I see eight people on two wheels using the bike path during the 20 minutes I sit outside the station – a fair amount of time to run a survey, in my opinion.

These findings don’t align with what I’ve heard anecdotally from some locals – that the lanes aren’t used.

Determined to gather more data, I set out on a cycling journey myself.

Time to get on my bike.

Giving the bike paths a try

After a quick battle with the locking system of a hireable Santander Nextbike parked on the corner of Murray Place, I take to the cycle path.

The ride down towards the bus station is smooth and, before I know it, I’m making my way up past the Travelodge on Goosecroft Road and towards Raploch.

As I crest the hill, my first fellow cyclist comes into view.

Passing them with a cursory nod, I’m quickly overtaken by a lycra-clad rider who vanishes into the distance in a flash of expensive gear – leaving me slightly embarrassed on my rather cumbersome steed.

In total, I spot nine bikes on my 13-minute cycle from the train station to Stirling Bridge and back again.

I’m surprised by the number, considering the time of day, when many people are at work, and the likelihood that most university students will have headed home for the summer.

What do Stirling locals think?

Unsure if I’ve just visited the cycle lanes on a particularly busy day, I decide to chat with some members of the public to find out what they really think.

Colin Smith is a regular user who commutes into Stirling and travels to the university gym by bike.

I catch him as he locks his bike up outside the Thistles centre and ask him how busy the lanes really are, in his experience.

“Well it’s a mixed bag,” he says.

“It really depends on the time of the day, to be totally honest with you.

“It’s been quite quiet at the moment, but obviously at 8.30 in the morning, for example, you’ll find it very busy.

“I do see a lot of students using those Nextbike thingies as well.”

White Dove Coffee Roasters looks directly onto the start of the cycle lane at Station Road.

Chloe Smith, the barista on duty when I pop in, has a different view to Colin regarding the bike paths.

“I wouldn’t say that they’re that busy,” she tells me.

“I see the odd person go past, but not really that many.

“But I do think they’re starting to impact on the traffic because a lot of people are coming to a halt here at the lights.”

Are the cycle lanes being used?

While Stirling’s cycle lanes clearly split opinion, my own experience suggests they are being used on a regular basis, even in the middle of the afternoon.

And data published by Cycling Scotland shows that the number of people cycling southbound along Airthrey Road in June, July and August increased from 5,295 in 2023 to 10,926 in 2024.

But there’s no question that some locals begrudge the high cost of the active travel project at a time when public money is tight.

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