THERE were more bicycles than cars on a popular Edinburgh commuter route for the first time ever.
The milestone, which was achieved on Leith Walk from 8–9am on May 13, is part of an explosion in the popularity of cycling in Scotland.
A fixed cycle counter at the top of the Walk recorded 67,572 cycle journeys in May 2026, a 25% increase on May 2025.
Meanwhile, on the capital’s York Place, where protected cycle lanes now connect the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) route to Leith Walk, 2,018 bikes were recorded over the 48-hour period, amounting to 4.7% of all travel methods.
Three Glasgow streets with new dedicated cycle lanes also recorded their highest ever cycling modal shares.
On Victoria Road on the south side, for example, 5,637 people travelled by bike over two days, a 38% increase on 2025 and a new record at 16.6% of all travel.
New segregated cycle lanes crisscrossing both Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as the “overwhelming popularity” of the Voi electric cycle hire scheme – now operating in Edinburgh and Glasgow – have contributed.
At all of these locations, strong peaks in cycling were seen at morning and evening rush hours, indicating that more people are opting to travel by bike for everyday journeys, like commuting to and from work.
Keith Irving, Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland, put the increase down to local authorities and The Scottish Government “investing in protected cycle lanes and improved networks of cycling routes, more people are travelling by bike.”
“The high volumes of cycling that we continue to see around morning rush hour tells its own story, with people evidently using these new routes to make everyday journeys by bike, especially to work,” he explained.
“We’re also seeing signs of a strong network effect, as routes begin to join together and make more journeys possible.
“Altogether, more people cycling is a net benefit for everyone, for our health, for reducing harmful pollution and reducing congestion on our streets. We need more safe cycling routes, to bring these advantages to more people across Scotland.”
It is no coincidence, however, that this explosion in Scots cycling comes around a year after the Voi scheme was launched in Edinburgh, quickly expanding to 800 bikes in Leith and central Edinburgh.
The scheme has since clocked up around 1.46 million rides and has been replicated in Glasgow, where around 1.62 million rides have been recorded.
Edinburgh Transport Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, said: “These new figures speak for themselves.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen city cycling records being consistently broken. This is a direct consequence of our commitment to creating and improving cycling infrastructure across Edinburgh, as part of our City Mobility Plan.
“We’ve also seen the overwhelming popularity and success of our cycle hire scheme, delivered by Voi, providing a convenient and economic way for people to get around.”
He concluded: “It’s never been easier to cycle in the Capital, so I’d encourage anyone thinking about it to give it a try.”
Economy, Tourism and Transport Minister Stephen Flynn touted the Scottish Government’s active travel investments: “I am pleased to see Cycling Scotland’s latest figures on cycle lane use in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“The record levels of use particularly on Glasgow’s South City Way and Edinburgh’s City Centre West-East Link demonstrates that the infrastructure we are providing is helping more people than ever travel by bike for everyday journeys.
“Active travel is pivotal in helping people save money, improve their health and reduce transport emissions – walking, wheeling and cycling is transformational for both people and planet.
“We are investing £226 million in active and sustainable travel this year, and the evidence shown by these figures highlights how this funding is creating safer and easier routes that will lead to more people choosing to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys.”
Cllr Angus Millar, Glasgow City Council Convener for Transport and Climate, said: “Cycling Scotland’s latest figures are really encouraging and show the clear impact of investing in safe, high-quality cycle routes across Glasgow.
“The increase in cycling on routes such as Victoria Road, Clyde Street, Garscube Road, Byres Road and London Road shows that more people are choosing to travel by bike for everyday journeys.
“These routes are helping to make cycling a more practical and accessible option for more Glaswegians, while supporting our wider work to create safer streets, improve air quality and give people more choice in how they travel around the city.
“These results show what can be achieved when people have safe, attractive options to travel by bike, and they provide a strong foundation for further improvements across the city.”
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