Consultation: Cycling Ban in Birmingham City Centre

Red Baron Recumbent Cycle in Centenary Square

Birmingham City Council is consulting on a proposal to impose a Public Space Protection Order restricting cycling in certain Traffic Restricted areas of the City Centre. This is mainly targeted at the use of already illegal converted bikes and electric motorcycles but could affect many other riders as well with on-the-spot fines imposed by a variety of Council officers. The consultation ends on the 31st of January, and we urge you to respond to it.

The Council wishes to obtain the balance of views of both pedestrians and people riding bikes. It is important to get a good response from people who think these measures are unnecessary because dangerous cycling and illegal electric bikes are covered by existing laws.

Below is Push Bikes response to the consultation and a link the excellent response from our friends at Better Streets for Birmingham. If you agree please send your own individual response. You can cite the response from Push Bikes or make your own points and describe your own experience.

There is also an On-Street Survey being conducted by Trading Standards between 11-2pm on Wednesday 29th January on New Street and High Street. If you are in the City Centre it would be good to pop along and tell them what you think.

Subject: City Centre Public Space Protection Order consultation on riding bicycles and e-bikes
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:14:06 +0000
From: David Cox, Chair of Push Bikes
To: Birmingham Trading Standards

I am responding to this consultation on behalf of Push Bikes the Birmingham Cycling Campaign. Push Bikes was established in 1979 when a West Midlands Report on Transport completely omitted any reference to cycling !!  In more enlightened times at least since 2011 we have collaborated with and supported Birmingham City Council (and the West Midlands Combined Authority) to further a range of strategies and policies which have encouraged cycling in the City (and into the City Centre) for commuting and short trips as an alternative to car use and congestion as well as for leisure and all the health benefits of cycling as physical exercise. You will be familiar with the long history of these developments from the Birmingham Mobility Action Plan, the Birmingham Cycle Revolution and the current Birmingham Transport Plan. All of which support cycling as part of a modern transport mix.

We wish to endorse the excellent response and objection to the PSPO sent in by our friends at Better Streets for Birmingham.

The original publicity about “banning cycling” in the City Centre was unfortunate and the current proposals are less extreme and do not as we understand it “restrict a public right of way” which would be illegal.  But we do not think a PSPO usually reserved for egregious anti-social behaviour like urinating in public is an appropriate response to the occasional reckless rider or to the use of already illegal electric mopeds or motor bikes. We are aware of the pressures on zero-hours working food delivery riders and think there are better strategies to work with “App-Platforms” and cafes and restaurants to regulate this “industry”.

You say quite rightly that you want pedestrians to feel welcome in the City Centre. But this should also be true for people (often the same people) when they are riding bikes. We have been involved in Birmingham City Council activities often in Victoria Square along with other “behaviour change” initiatives designed to welcome cyclists and encourage more people to cycle rather than use a car. Birmingham City Centre welcomes careful cyclists just like many villages welcome careful drivers would be a very worthwhile campaign. We also have “share with care” signs on routes like the Rea Valley.

Some of the evidence collected for the consultation is dubious – much is made of a respondent concerned about scaring animals. In a City Centre with no greenery is this a big problem? So much of the City’s cycling “infrastructure” still consists of shared use paths and pavements like the Rea Valley route, the canal tow paths and pavements throughout for example Northfield and Longbridge. This is never ideal but most people on bikes and walking including those with dogs manage the “access friction” in acceptable way.

Shared space has often been used by the City to avoid having to think through and commit to proper segregated cycle paths which would be a better approach in high use area enabling riders from 8-80 to safely reach the many City Centre destinations and attractions.

It is not at all clear that the staff able to impose on the spot fines will have the technical expertise to evaluate how bicycles or e-bikes comply with construction and use regulations. Being elderly I use a second range extender battery on an e-bike for longer rides. This is not illegal !!

There are still too many “cyclists dismount” signs in this City even on dedicated cycle lanes this is no longer good practice even at road works and often not possible for riders, including many of our members, with various limitations and disabilities who use cycles and adapted cycles to get to their destinations.

We really hope the Council will think again about this proposal and work towards a more welcoming and positive approach to pedestrian and cycling access and safety in the City Centre.

We have received this helpful reply from Trading Standards which emphasises their aim to assess the opinions of people interested or affected by cycling in the City Centre.

Subject: City Centre Public Space Protection Order consultation on riding bicycles and e-bikes
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2025 08:09:54 +0000
From: Birmingham Trading Standards
To: David Cox, Chair of Push Bikes

Many thanks for your email and the support Push Bike have given to Birmingham City Council in terms of previous strategies.

As you have pointed out, the original narrative around the PSPO was somewhat misleading through press coverage. There is no intention of banning cycling/scooters, which the proposed restrictions set out, and your comments have been noted.

The intention is for all people to feel welcome in the city centre and to be able to enjoy the city in a safe environment.

The purpose of the public consultation is to gauge the views of those people whom the proposed restrictions may affect.

No decision has been made in relation to the implementation of the PSPO at this point. Once the consultation has been completed, the results will be analysed and considered, and this will direct whether or not the PSPO is considered to progress to the next stage.