Residents call for safer cycle lanes
City report shows improvements wanted
Eight out of 10 Stirling residents want more protected cycle lanes, according to a new study.
‘Bike Life’, a comprehensive report on cycling in the city, shows that 83 per cent of residents are in favour of safer roadside lanes, even if they result in less room for traffic.
More than 1100 Stirling residents were interviewed about their cycling habits, satisfaction and the impact of cycling on the city.
The study was run by Sustrans Scotland in partnership with Stirling Council and part of wider research on attitudes to cycling in 15 cities across the UK.
Cycling was mostly viewed positively, with 71 per cent feeling that more people choosing to ride bikes would make the city a better place to live and work.
However, the report outlines that travelling by bike is viewed to be the least safe mode of transport, with 67 per cent backing improvements.
Also revealed is that only 16 per cent of Stirling residents feel that the city is safe for children to cycle.
Bike Life calculated that 1.2 million trips were made by bike in Stirling in the past year saving an estimated 6,356 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. That, claims the report, is the annual equivalent of the carbon footprint of 52 people.
Funding for the improvements will come from the EU’s Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund, which will further invest £5.3 million for active travel and low carbon hubs across the country.
Stirling Council’s environment and housing convenor, councillor Jim Thomson, said: “This piece of work has provided much needed clarity over not only the desire and passion for cycling in Stirling, but the changes that need to be made to turn that into a reality.”
“The Scottish Government’s recent doubling of funding for active travel across the country provides us with the opportunity to make the investment Stirling needs to go from being a good place to cycle, to being a great place to cycle.”
Green Party councillor for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, Alasdair Tollemache, added: “It’s been great to see how cycling investment and infrastructure has improved in Stirling. A lot has been done and now is the opportunity to do more to get the shift towards walking and cycling in Stirling.
The report follows news that dangerous cycling ‘blackspot’ areas are to be upgraded by Sustrans.
Improvements are planned at the busy Manor Powis roundabout and the A84 between Doune and Callander.
There have been calls for changes to both routes for several years and news that change is on the way will be tempered by the proviso that the two projects might not be delivered until 2023.