Stirling's long-running Bannockburn and Cowie railway station saga explained

The Courier

2 days ago

At the end of May, Stirling Council announced its intention to make a case for a rail link serving the Bannockburn and Cowie communities.
The plan is part of Stirling Council's new draft sustainable mobility strategy, which aims to reduce transport emissions in and around Stirling.
Many locals welcomed the prospect of a new south Stirling train station, though some pointed out that the idea was nothing new.
It's true that similar proposals have been floating around for a long time.
Over the last two decades, both Stirling Council and the Scottish Government have suggested opening a new Bannockburn railway station on several occasions.
But it was Falkirk Council that looked into options for opening a train station around Bonnybridge and Denny in 2006, ultimately discovering that a Bannockburn rail link would be preferred.
Two years later, it was reported that the idea was still being discussed by officials.
At one point, a halt was being considered for Bannockburn rather than a full station, meaning trains might only stop there on request.
Then, in 2009, Transport Scotland published a report which included a plan for several new park and ride sites across the country, including at Bannockburn.
The Strategic Transport Projects Review read: 'The sites would be served by either rail services or express bus links to and from the city centres and areas of economic activity'.
At the time, it looked likely that onward travel from Bannockburn's proposed park and ride would be via train.
Although the Strategic Transport Projects Review was billed as a 10-year plan for travel improvements, a park and ride has never been opened in the area.
Fast-forward a few years to Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership's (Tactran) 2012-13 annual report, which mentioned the Strategic Transport Projects Review and its Bannockburn park and ride proposal.
Tactran identified the plan as one of several which 'should be afforded greater priority' by the Scottish Government.
Around that time, Stirling councillor Jim Thomson, who also sat on the Tactran partnership board, told The Stirling Observer that options were still being looked at for a Bannockburn railway station and that he was 'hopeful' it would happen.
Around five years later, in 2018, Tactran received a share of £681,000 from Transport Scotland's £2 million Local Rail Development Fund (LRDF), which was split between 10 projects.
The money was ring-fenced for a 'transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around Stirling', with the continued goal of building a 'strategic' park and ride facility.
At the time, a Stirling Council spokesperson said: 'Among the options being examined is the prospect of a new railway station south of Stirling but the location has yet to be established.'
A further share of £817,000 was awarded to Tactran in a second round of LRDF funding during 2019.
Tactran requested £125,000 for the Stirling project.
In August 2019, the Scottish Government said: 'It is expected that the transport appraisal will be completed by the end of the 2020/21 financial year.'
After that deadline, in early 2022, Stirling Council and Tactran launched a survey for members of the public, asking for local views on proposed options for improving public transport in and around Stirling.
One of the options outlined was 'a new rail station south of Stirling between Bannockburn and Cowie'.
The council explained: 'Subject to its location the station will be accessible by walking and cycling for many residents in Plean and Cowie, or Bannockburn as well as the new residents that will join us in the homes to be built at South Stirling Gateway.
'Here users could park bikes, EVs and conventional cars before getting a train onwards.'
The aim was to make city centre streets 'cleaner and safer for walking and cycling' by reducing the number of cars in Stirling.
Tactran was granted £91,998.50 more from the LRDF during the 2023-24 financial year, 'to provide money for communities to carry out a multi-modal transport appraisal to develop proposals for improvements to rail connections in their areas'.
And just weeks ago, on May 30 2025, Stirling Council's draft sustainable mobility strategy was published, pledging to 'make the case for a new station at Bannockburn/Cowie.'
The council is asking locals to share their views on the strategy, including the station plan, until July 30.
But whether or not this year will see the end of the long-running south Stirling station saga remains to be seen.
There was a railway station at Bannockburn for more than 100 years, between 1848 and 1950.
It was located between Stirling railway station and a station serving Plean, which closed in 1956.
These stops were part of the Scottish Central Railway, which connected Stirling and Perth to the rest of the central belt.