Can Birmingham Become a Cycling City?

I joined a group ride of cyclists from the University of Birmingham’s Triathlon Club and spoke to the riders. In order to get to the scenic country lanes surrounding the city, they have to ride on busy roads that don’t accommodate for cyclists. They all agreed that Birmingham roads do not feel safe. “The state of the roads is terrible,” said Tom, one of the student riders, “even some of the cycle lanes are covered in potholes.” At certain points, the number of potholes made it feel more like we were cycling on the surface of the moon than in the UK’s second city. Other members of the club told me they don’t cycle outdoors in Birmingham at all, most of them citing safety concerns as the principal reason.

Allaying those concerns, and getting more people cycling, could come with serious benefits for the city. According to a 2023 council report, the health benefits of cycling prevent 29 early deaths every year, and over two hundred serious long-term health conditions, such as diabetes, forms of cancer, and depression. This saves the NHS in Birmingham an estimated £2.9 million per year. Amos, another of the cyclists I joined, told me about the physical and mental benefits cycling brought him. “The social aspect of going out and riding with others helps make cycling such a fun way to exercise,” he said. Another massive beneficiary of cycling, of course, is the environment. Getting around by pedal power saves around 12,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually compared to driving, according to the same council report.

Making Birmingham’s roads safer for cyclists is a challenge made even harder by the city’s deep links with motoring. Birmingham used to by a major hub of car manufacturing with the famous Rover factory in Longbridge producing MGs, Rovers and Minis. This heritage is also present in the layout of the modern city with its car-centric infrastructure such as the Spaghetti Junction in Gravely Hill. In a 1981 film ‘Telly Savalas looks at Birmingham’, the American Actor referred to the city’s Road systems as “revolutionary”. In the today’s world, Brummies are still deeply attached to their cars, in the 2021 census, 289,333 Households owned cars and in 2023, 3.62 billion vehicle miles were travelled on roads in the city. Therefore, the local authorities must contend with the cultural aspect of Birmingham’s relationship with motor vehicles to make cycling a desirable option.

The UK is way behind our European neighbours in terms of bike friendly infrastructure. In the Netherlands, over 25% of journeys are made by bicycle, which rises to 38% in Amsterdam, compared with 2% across the UK. There seems to be a trend of animosity towards cycling here in Britain. A YouGov poll from 2023 found that Brits had the least fondness for cycling out of all twelve countries studied, with only 42% of us expressing favourable views. In most European countries, it’s over 70%.

The portrayal of cyclists in British media probably helps account for this discrepancy. Celebrities like Jeremy Clarkson court publicity by criticising cyclists, and social media spreads online videos designed to provoke negative views. A driver I spoke to shared his concerns about some cyclists’ tendency to ignore road signs and traffic lights, calling it “infuriating.” Perhaps the sight of sweaty middle aged men donning Lycra harms the image too. A lot of people I have spoken to about cycling hadn’t taken part in the activity since childhood, and few had fond memories of their bike ability tests.

National efforts to make cycling more widespread in the UK have been half-hearted at best. The cycle-to-work scheme introduced under the Labour government in 1999 aimed to give commuters a financial incentive to ditch their cars for two wheels, but it hasn’t come far in 25 years. Awareness of the program is low, and the case for commuting via bicycle is further complicated by the ban on bikes on trains during peak hours.

The easiest way to make people want to cycle both to work and for pleasure is to make it safer. That is what the West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker is targeting, with his “Vision Zero” plan to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Birmingham roads by 2040. The first step was the recruitment of a new Road Safety Commissioner following the departure of Cycling and walking commissioner Adam Tranter after the election last year. According to the job advert, the new commissioner will “play a vital role in influencing and supporting measures to achieve the strategic aim of 50% of all trips being made by walking, wheeling, cycling, or scooting by 2030.”

However, the dream of a safe, bike-friendly city faces challenges even from within the local council. In November, it was revealed that the council were considering a ban on cycling in the city centre, in light of the number of e-bikes being used to make deliveries. This seems to contradict the goals that the metro mayor has set out. Backlash to this proposal and pressure from Better Streets for Birmingham seems to have worked, as the council announced it was pausing the plan. But the struggle over public space and transport options will continue.

Groups such as Better Streets for Birmingham are key to any change in the fight to improve safety for cyclists in the city. They campaign for “changes to our environment that enable car-free journeys,” aiming to make cycling and other so-called “active travel” options, as well as public transport, “the default options for trips around our city.” One of their key campaign targets is protected cycle lanes along all major city roads.

An example of what can be done lies on the A38, between the University of Birmingham and the city centre. This section of cycle path is segregated from traffic and makes for a much safer and more enjoyable cycling experience. Unfortunately, the respite is short lived, and the path soon feeds you back amongst car traffic. Still, the route shows that cycle-friendly infrastructure is possible in Birmingham. With wider public support for such measures, the council would be more likely to implement them.

After all the talking, biking, and research I’ve done, it’s clear to me that cycling has a future here in Birmingham. Given all the benefits it provides to the city and its residents, it’s only logical that the council would support its growth. With the ambitious goal for 50% of all trips in the city by 2030 being made by foot and bicycle, we should be hopeful that more will be done to improve safety for cyclists. It’s all the more likely if more people get out on their bikes and make use of existing cycling infrastructure—and if more drivers start to treat their fellow road-users with respect and care.