# Edinburgh Sees More Bikes Than Cars During Rush Hour > Morning rush hour usually paints the same tired picture: cars crawling bumper to bumper, inching through the city. But this year, something unexpected happened ![Edinburgh Sees More Bikes Than Cars During Rush Hour](/media/2026/09/Positivity---2026-09-25T105341-346-7585e22f.webp) ## Morning rush hour usually paints the same tired picture: cars crawling bumper to bumper, inching through the city. But this year, something unexpected happened on Edinburgh’s Leith Walk. For the first time, more bikes than cars moved through that stretch during morning rush. That’s not just a quirky data point. It’s a clear sign the city is changing. Cycling Scotland collected this data between 8 and 9 a.m. on May 13, 2026, during a 48-hour traffic survey. Leith Walk, long known as one of Edinburgh’s busiest corridors, saw cyclists outnumber cars. It’s never happened before on a street cycling route in Edinburgh. The detail matters. This doesn’t mean everyone in Edinburgh is suddenly pedaling to work. It means at that exact place, in that one prime hour, more bikes rolled by than cars. Still, it’s a big deal in a city where streets have always catered to vehicles first. > And it’s not just Leith Walk. Other routes are recording record numbers of cyclists, too. ## Record Cycling Numbers on Leith Walk On May 13 and 14, sensors counted 5,653 bike journeys along Leith Walk. That’s the highest they’ve seen there so far. Cyclists made up 11% of all movements through that period. Zoom in on the rush hour and the shift jumps out: at 8 a.m., more bikes than cars, flipping expectations upside-down. It’s a visible sign of changing habits. Digging deeper, there’s been a big jump in cycling even over the past year. Take Picardy Place, just nearby—a fixed counter recorded 67,572 cycle trips in May 2026, up about 25% from 54,193 the year before. We’re not just talking about a handful of weekend riders, either. > These are daily trips—to work, school, shops. This is cycling growing into a routine part of city life. ## Why More People Are Choosing to Cycle Why’s it happening? Safer infrastructure is a big reason. When asked why they don’t bike more, most people say safety is the sticking point. Riding alongside traffic can be intimidating, but a protected lane—or even just clear separation from cars—changes everything. For newcomers, it’s often the dealbreaker. Leith Walk now has dedicated cycling infrastructure, and routes like the City Centre West East Link connect it further, making it easier and less stressful to travel by bike. As the city invests, numbers rise. > It’s pretty simple: when cycling gets easier and safer, more people give it a try. ## Cycling Is Growing Across Edinburgh York Place backs this up. During the same May survey, 2,018 bikes were counted there—cycling made up 4.7% of all trips. That’s more than double the share from five years ago. It might not sound enormous, but in the context of city travel, it’s a big shift. The trend isn’t just about weekday commuters, either. Strong cycling numbers turn up in both morning and evening peaks. People are riding to college, work, appointments, or just running errands. Delivery riders and parents—everyone’s mixing in. > Cities become more livable when travel is this flexible. A city doesn’t get easier to move around just because more people own bikes. It gets better when folks actually use them for everyday trips—and feel safe doing it. ## Connected Cycling Networks Make Longer Trips Possible Edinburgh’s network is spreading. Head over to Roseburn, and traffic counts showed 2,798 bike journeys in 48 hours last year—about 9.3% of all trips. Build a network, and more people ride for more of their route. One short protected stretch isn’t enough, but a web of connected lanes makes longer journeys by bike possible. > That’s when cycling stops being a recreational extra and becomes a viable option. And let’s not ignore the fun—riding through the city is different from being stuck in a car or wedged onto a bus. You see more, you can stop when you want, and you aren’t trapped in gridlock. Sure, bikes won’t replace everything—cars, buses, trams, walking, they’re all still essential. Cities thrive on options. ## Cycling Doesn’t Have to Replace Cars Rising cycling numbers don’t magically mean roads are empty of cars. Sometimes, people expect bike riders to replace car drivers one-for-one, but the real shift is messier. Some folks switch from walking, some combine cycling and public transport, and yes, some still drive. > Adding bikes isn’t about subtracting everything else. It’s about more choices. ## Edinburgh Isn’t the Only Scottish City Seeing the Shift This isn’t just an Edinburgh story. Glasgow’s seeing the same momentum: more bikes than cars on Victoria Road at rush hour, cycling numbers doubling over two years on the East City Way, dedicated routes logging their highest shares yet. Cities across Scotland are investing and watching the results come in. Protected bike lanes are a game-changer, especially for people who've wanted to cycle but never felt safe. Picture someone living a couple of kilometers from work, with a bike in the shed, but who’s always thought the roads looked too risky. Drop in a separated lane, and suddenly the ride feels possible—no extra sales pitch needed. ## E-Bikes Are Adding Another Option Technology helps, too. E-bikes open up longer or hillier trips to folks who’d have ruled them out. Edinburgh's rental e-bikes, launched in 2025, layered another option on top. > It's not just infrastructure or tech alone, but a combination—one makes the other more useful. ## Cycling Can Make Short City Trips Easier City travel is full of short journeys. For many, a bike beats the hassle of driving, finding a spot, or walking for ages. When those trips shift to cycling, city streets start to breathe a bit—less congestion, less space gobbled up by parked cars, and a smoother flow overall. ## Cycling and the Climate Cycling’s not a magic wand, but it’s a smart piece of the climate puzzle. Every ride that replaces a car trip goes directly toward cutting tailpipe emissions. > When cycling becomes part of the daily commute, not just weekend recreation, it matters a lot more. ## The Health Benefits of Everyday Cycling Health sneaks in, too. Bike riders build movement into their routines—no need to squeeze in workouts if you’re getting exercise along the way. Time in the fresh air can also make for a better start or finish to the day, even if you don’t think of yourself as a fitness nut. ## Edinburgh’s Cycling Habits Are Still Changing Edinburgh isn’t Amsterdam yet. Rush hour is still full of cars; bikes aren’t everywhere. But the momentum is there. Year after year, more people are choosing the option that works for them, and more safe infrastructure keeps pushing numbers higher. Over time, what feels normal shifts. - See enough bikes on the street, and maybe you start picturing yourself on one. - Teenagers notice classmates cycling. - Office workers see colleagues arrive on two wheels. - Visitors rent an e-bike and discover a new side of the city. That’s how habits start to change. ## A Different Kind of Rush Hour The classic rush hour jam isn’t what it used to be—not everywhere, not all day, but change is visible. On May 13, 2026, at Leith Walk, the bikes overtook the cars during peak morning travel. That makes a statement: > Build for bikes, and people will ride. Behind each count is a person with a reason—work, classes, errands, seeing friends, just trying something different. Sure, cities chase big plans and climate goals, but sometimes what really matters is what’s happening on the street, right now. > One bike at a time, Edinburgh’s making the morning rush look a little different—and that’s worth paying attention to. Explore Related Topics Take the Positivity Quiz More in Good News Share this article ### Stay Inspired Get a daily dose of positivity delivered to your inbox. ### Discover More on Positivity What Is Positivity? 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