SHOWER facilities, secure storage and more will be needed for a behavioural shift toward active travel in Clackmannanshire and beyond, a meeting heard last week.

Simply putting cycle paths in place will not be enough to achieve a “world-class active travel culture” in the Forth Valley, Clacks council leader Ellen Forson suggested last week.

Cllr Forson put her thoughts on record at last Tuesday, January 24, as the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee was asked to approve outline business cases for five active travel routes for walking and wheeling.

The routes, including Alloa to Springkerse via Manor Powis, as well as Fishcross to the University of Stirling, form part of a strategic vision for a regional "active travel network”.

At the meeting, the council leader added: “The big thing for me that's a barrier to people cycling is different infrastructure.

“It's infrastructure in locations – if you are going to use cycling as a means to get to your work, there really does need to be shower facilities, there really does need to be some place to keep your bike – there need to be other things in place, just a having a cycle path there is really not going to do it for your normal person.”

She asked officers if there was capacity in the current city deal programme to investigate the issue.

Agreeing, an officer said getting people from A to B was only “part of the jigsaw”.

They added: “Secondly, we need to facilitate those pieces of infrastructure that enable people to get on their bikes and take them from a point to a destination and safely leave them there – and as you say, then have the ability to go in, have a shower and get to their work in a comfortable manner.

“That secure cycling infrastructure is very much part of this.”

It is understood that on the Stirling end, there will be a strategic development of “Dutch-esque” cycling lockers and facilities to help promote active travel.

The officer continued: “We should also recognise that the cost of bikes, particularly with the advent of e-bikes, has gone up significantly.

“So, just parking your bike up against a traditional Sheffield stand and a simple chain round it is not sufficient these days and battery-powered angle grinders can have a big impact on that.”

Outline business cases for the programme were approved on the day in anticipation of endorsement from the Scottish Government.