"This is not a ban on cycling": Council insists controversial proposal to "stop or limit" cyclists in Birmingham is "merely a reflection of how cycles are used in the city centre"

Birmingham City Council has addressed some of the criticism surrounding a proposed PSPO (Public Spaces Protection Order) to prevent cycling in parts of the city centre. The proposal has been labelled "clumsy, unworkable, and discriminatory" by active travel campaigners, although the council has attempted to allay fears by insisting "this is not a ban on cycling".

The comments came from the local authority's director of regulation and enforcement Sajeela Naseer who said they would be "working very closely with our transportation colleagues" to ensure "that we can articulate clearly that this is not a ban on cycling", BirminghamLive reported.

With that said, she did go on to add that it is "merely a reflection of how cycles are used in the city centre" and had raised the question of "whether we should take action, potentially through a PSPO, to put in certain restrictions for the safety of all users of the pedestrianised areas within the city centre".

"We have got feedback already and evidence of complaints about using cycles in high-pedestrianised [areas], at speed, in the city centre," she told the council meeting, explaining that they would need evidence that cycling "is perceived to be an issue that impacts the community using the highway in a negative fashion", and that the consultation would "reveal" public opinion.

"Clearly we want to stop the use of illegally modified e-bikes; cycling without functioning brakes and other safety equipment; and cycling with disregard to other people," she said.

"We're working very closely with our transportation colleagues to make sure that we can articulate clearly that this is not a ban on cycling. This is merely a reflection of how cycles are used in the city centre [...] and whether the use of that negatively impacts users of the highway — and whether we should take action, potentially through a PSPO, to put in certain restrictions for the safety of all users of the pedestrianised areas within the city centre."

Last month, a report recommended adding cycling to a PSPO designed to tackle anti-social behaviour in the city centre, a move the council claimed would enable it to crack down on delivery couriers "moving around the city centre at speed and without care for pedestrians".

However, the plans were labelled "clumsy and unworkable" by active travel campaigners, many despairing at the proposal which it was suggested "directly contravenes several of the council's own transport policies and will disproportionally impact people who use their cycles as mobility aids".

Better Streets for Birmingham urged the council to drop the proposals "immediately" as it "seeks to address unacceptable cycling behaviours that are already illegal in several ways while suggesting banning all cycling in pedestrian areas and making parts of the city centre impermeable for cycling".

The group commented: "Food couriers cause issues on high streets across the city, however we must also acknowledge that they are exploited by delivery platforms such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats, who appear to have little interest in fixing the problems of illegal parking and dangerous cycling that they create.

"We would rather see existing legal orders (TROs) in the city centre revised to enable safe and considerate cycling – that the council's own report appears to be happy with – while assisting those on illegal modified e-bikes to transition to legal bikes. We call on City Operations to drop this clumsy and unworkable proposal immediately."

A council spokesperson responded: "The council is seeking to renew an existing PSPO in respect of anti-social behaviour and considering new restrictions where anti-social behaviour is evident. This is being done specifically to improve the safety of people in the city centre.

"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.

"Before any decisions are made, we are seeking the views of all through a consultation in how best to manage the issue. It may be that appropriate restrictions should be introduced in this pedestrian only area to restrict all cycles, some cycles, manage the direction of cycles to provide a safe flow of movement, or take no action in this issue.

"To inform this consideration we would encourage all residents and community groups to make their voices heard once when the consultation is opened."