As the Walking and Cycling Index reveals that 25% of respondents in Stirling don’t currently cycle but would like to, we meet the people behind a programme breaking down barriers in the city, and who are working with the council to revolutionise infrastructure for people walking, wheeling and cycling in the city.
The Walking and Cycling Index is the biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland. It is delivered by Sustrans in collaboration with 23 cities and urban areas. Each city reports on the progress made towards making walking, wheeling and cycling more attractive, everyday ways to travel.
You can read the 2023 Walking and Cycling Index report for Stirling here: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/walking-cycling-index/stirling
Bikes without barriers is an adapted cycling program we aim to break down the barriers that people face um to being able to cycle some of the barriers that these guys face um could be that they’re wheelchair users so they’re not ambulance so we can use a a wheelchair
Loader bike um where they have someone cycling it for them it could be that they need to have three wheels instead of two just to give them a bit more balance um we also have side by side um bikes where they can have someone cycling and they can be sat beside them
And it just gives them a bit of Freedom it is really about building that nice safe environment for everybody to feel that they can be themselves and have a bit of fun it’s really important for the council and anyone delivering active travel projects to work with a group of
Stakeholders that we want to use the roots for example riding a bike bike is very different using an Adaptive bike a non-standard bike or even a cargo bike and you know a wheelchair loader have hugely different turning circles so unless you engage with the people with you know different mobility issues it’s
Really difficult for us to know that we’re not overlooking something inadvertently we didn’t have a cycle infrastructure like that before bikes of that barriers um we worked with Sterling Council we were on a committee we helped do the planning to make sure that every cycle Lane that we’re using is adaptable
For us it’s got the right widths and ability for the guys to go up and down off the curbs with the the new infrastructure that they’re putting in it’s making a huge difference for us as well to be able to get out on different cycle routes CU quite often we’re stuck
On the same one weekly today we we’ve had a great time in Sterling having a try on a new cycle Lane which has been fantastic I enjoy cyc cuz I get to meet new friends and new volunteers and I just absolutely love it and I just wanted everybody who’s Vision paired or
Got other disabilities to come and join in cuz it’s Fantastic