McDonald's is holding a public engagement consultation (closing on Tuesday 26th November 2024) on its plans to open a new restaurant, including drive-thru, on Pershore Road next to the Aldi's in Stirchley. The consultation details can be found here: McDonald's Stirchley

While Push Bikes doesn't hold any views on what restaurants should or shouldn't be built in Stirchley, we think that drive-thru restaurants create extra air pollution through more driving and stop-start queues, have a negative impact on local traffic, and discourage active travel. Although we think that it would be good to redevelop the wasteland next to Aldi, we are opposed to the building of any new drive-thru restaurants. We think that the dedication of a significant area of this site to drive-thru motor traffic is a waste of valuable urban space, and could be better used for providing extra retail space or housing.

Impact on the local road network:

A new drive-thru will create extra congestion in the area through drivers making diversions to pick up food. Between The British Oak and The Bournbrook Inn, Pershore Road splits into a strange dual carriageway, running either side of a small isolated island of houses. Where Umberslade Road meets Pershore Road, by The Bournbrook Inn and the new Morrisons, there is a roundabout which regularly becomes blocked up during rush hour. Presumably two target markets for a drive-thru restaurant at this location will be people driving home from work, and parents driving their children back from school, both of which may be tempted to use the drive-thru to pick up fast food to save time. Although there would not be any extra journeys created in these two target markets, many of those drivers will divert from their route to visit the drive-thru. That will create extra turning movements at the Umberslade roundabout and the U-turn outside The British Oak, and those will make congestion worse in this area.

Impact on air quality and pollution:

Drive-thru queues create a stop-start movement pattern, as drivers move forward one car length as each car at the front of the queue is served and drives off. Drivers are unlikely to stop their engines, as they anticipate needing to move forward another car length in the near future. This stop-start queuing creates an area with higher air pollution, impacting the health of customers, workers and potentially neighbours of the restaurant. The average drive-thru time is roughly 5 minutes, whereas a customer going into the restaurant might take 30 seconds to park up their car. Having a drive-thru introduces a substantial increase in the amount of air pollution generated for each car being driven to the restaurant.

Given the urgent need to cut CO2 emissions to combat climate change, and the increasing recognition of the health impacts of air pollution on the health of people, it is surprising that any new drive-thru restaurants are being proposed. On these grounds alone, there should be a moratorium on all new drive-thrus.

Impact on active travel:

Locating this McDonald's restaurant in this residential area does have the potential to divert trips away from car use to active travel if people in the local area chose to walk or cycle to this McDonald's rather than driving to one further away, as well as making home deliveries by cycle and e-bike rather than car more practical. But achieving that potential requires changes to the planned restaurant and to the local street network.

Hostile road environment:

A new restaurant in this location should attract local residents to walk there, but approaching from the direction of The Bournbrook Inn is difficult because of a lack of crossing facilities. That roundabout is already an accident blackspot, but you can see on Google streetview that people try to walk across the road there. To improve walking conditions, there needs to be new crossings installed on the two arms of the roundabout that currently don't have crossings. Doing that would help to make this area safer for pedestrians and make walking to the restaurant safer and more appealing.

No planning for cycle couriers:

In recent years, there has been a substantial growth in fast food deliveries by bicycle and motorbike, both adapted e-bikes and mopeds. These workers are faster and more nimble than those using cars, and we can expect that this new McDonald's restaurant will generate a large number of trips by delivery riders to local residents. Although there are dedicated car parking spaces set aside for couriers, there is no space set aside specifically for delivery riders' vehicles. Any new fast food restaurant should explain how they will accommodate the delivery riders who will serve their customers, so that they can park their vehicles safely off the pavement to reduce the impact on pedestrians and local residents.

Poor cycle parking:

The proposals show a drive-thru with space for 20 cars to queue, 23 general use car parking bays, 5 motorcycle spaces, but only 3 cycle stands. Customers who want to use those cycle stands will be competing for space with the cycle couriers, whereas there are dedicated car parking spaces for couriers. Although the proposals meet the minimum cycle parking requirements set by Birmingham City Council, the provision is not fit for purpose, and the poor level of cycle parking will discourage cycle users from visiting this McDonald's.

Lack of awareness of local cycle network:

The layout of the plans are orientated towards motor traffic and the Pershore Road, but there seems to be no awareness of the major Rea Valley cycle route that passes close by on the other side, and which the restaurant has a direct connection to via Hazelwell Lane. Although there will be walking connectivity along Hazelwell Lane, the design does not welcome cycle users, with car parking spaces and landscaping blocking the route that cycle users would take, forcing them onto the pavement. With signposting and some minor changes to the layout of the car park next to the new housing estate, these plans could encourage people to cycle along Hazelwell Lane to access the McDonald's restaurant and the Aldi supermarket from the River Rea cycle route. 

No 'Cycle-Thru' facilities:

For safety and insurance reasons, McDonald's do not serve cycle users or pedestrians at their drive-thrus, primarily because the people driving their cars through the drive thru are too distracted to pay proper attention. The plans do not provide details about the proposed opening hours of the drive thru and the restaurant, but if the drive thru has longer operating hours than the restaurant, then there would be times when the only way to get served at the restaurant would be to drive there. Providing a service window for cycle users would provide convenience for commuters who want to pick up some food on the way home, as well as for cycle couriers who are making deliveries to McDonald's customers. 

Lack of benefits for local businesses:

Stirchley high street has a wide variety of local independent shops, and the area was recently identified as the best place to live in the West Midlands. It is well served by buses and trains, and has a vibrant social scene. Although some customers may drive to the high street, it is likely that most people use active travel and public transport; there are no public car parks in the area, and not much on-street car parking space. If this McDonald's attracted more people to visit the high street using public transport or walking or cycling, then those customers might then use the other local shops too. But if the customers are going to drive to the McDonald's, and then have to drive away afterwards, they will only be increasing congestion on the local roads but not providing any extra customers.