Lots of people in the eastern villages rely on buses to get to and from Stirling.
And many have told me they don’t find them to be up to scratch.
Late and missing services are amongst the complaints, as well as high cost and infrequency.
Fallin and Throsk are on the route of the hourly F16 to the Falkirk village of Westquarter.
Nearby Plean is on the frequent 38 route to Falkirk, which includes a stop at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert.
But, on this occasion, I’m taking the 56 which between Cowie and Stirling via Braehead, Broomridge and Bannockburn.
It’s not the first time I’ve tested out Stirlingshire’s bus services.
In the past, I’ve visited both Gartmore and Callander by bus, so it’s high time I travel in the opposite direction.
High ticket price on the 56 route
It’s gloriously sunny as I wait at Stirling bus station.
The 56 is due at 10.37am, but pulls up eight minutes early and around 15 people disembark.
It take it as a good sign that this is a popular service.
A return ticket from the friendly driver sets me back £5.95 – barely cheaper than the day saver ticket option on the Midland Bluebird app.
The fare seems particularly steep considering the journey is only 30 minutes long.
We depart on time at 10.37am.
There are only a few passengers on this particular journey and I’m the only one heading all the way to Cowie, with most hopping off on stops along the way.
It’s a smooth ride, with impressive manoeuvring from the driver through tight streets jam-packed with cars.
I’m more than content to sit back, enjoying the view of the Ochils and recalling learning to parallel park on these streets.
We pass another 56 bus going the opposite way and it looks much busier.
Before long, the bus is rattling along the main road and the factories in the distance are growing closer.
What do the locals think of Cowie’s bus service?
Cowie is blessed with beautiful weather, too.
Once off the bus, I go for a wander.
As I explore Coconut Island, I get chatting to an elderly lady who is a frequent user of the bus.
“I don’t know what I’d do without the bus,” she tells me.
“It’s good it comes so often.”
Scheduled every 30 minutes, I have to agree on that point.
This opinion is shared by customers in the Ben ‘n’ Sen cafe, where I stop for a bite to eat.
These locals are thankful they’re not in the same boat as Fallin, which only gets one bus per hour, and no services on a Sunday.
The 56 runs early, starting from Stirling at 6.20am, and ends late, with a last departure time of 10.55pm.
It means those working a variety of shifts have options for getting into the city centre via public transport.
For my return to Stirling, the bus is late.
The few minutes of delay are soon made up, however, and the journey back is uneventful.
This service is much busier, with the bus about three quarters full.
What did I think of the 56 to Cowie?
The Stirling to Cowie service is one of the busiest I’ve been on locally.
The route makes sense, with plenty of people living in Braehead, Broomridge and Bannockburn also using it to get about.
While the ticket price is steep, so is parking in Stirling city centre, so perhaps it evens out.
In terms of reliability, I can see why regular users would feel frustrated if the delay I experienced became a regular occurrence.
However, it was a matter of a few minutes, and soon made up for.
In my view, the Stirling to Cowie bus seems to be both dependable and well used.
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