City centre bike ban proposed to stop ‘anti-social’ cyclists - in move to protect pedestrians

1 November 2024, 08:17 | Updated: 1 November 2024, 10:54

A city is proposing a blanket ban on cyclists in the centre of town in order to protect pedestrians from ‘anti-social’ cycling.

Birmingham city council is considering a ban on cycling in pedestrian-only parts of the city centre.

A report by Birmingham city council's regulation and community safety executives flags concerns over couriers and food delivery bikes going through pedestrian areas 'at speed and without care for pedestrians’.

A review has recommended adding cycling in pedestrian zones to the city's current public spaces protection order (PSPO) which gives police the power to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

Under the new proposals, which are due to go to public consultation, cycling could be 'restricted by time periods' or even banned completely.

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Mat MacDonald, the chairman of the Better Streets for Birmingham campaign group, told The Guardian: “If you have someone zipping by at 20mph on one of those things, it does create a risk.

“But there is already ample legislation to deal with that. 

“There are ways of clamping down on that problem that don't involve cutting off the entire middle of the city for people who are travelling by bike.

“It would only make cycling more dangerous in Birmingham.”

Duncan Dollimore, the head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “There are people in this world who are irresponsible, and some of them are on a bike – but if that's the problem, we need to deal with that behaviour.”

A Birmingham City council spokesman said: “We are considering measures to try and decrease instances of cycling at speed through one small area of the city centre where there is high footfall, and it is unsafe to cycle due to the likelihood of near misses and collisions.

“This does not impact on the council's commitment to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists as part of ongoing developments and its transportation plan."