Parts of main roads could be turned into pedestrian, cycle and bus lanes under emergency plans proposed by the city council in response to coronavirus.
Birmingham City Council has published its Emergency Transport Plan which proposes a number of changes to boost walking, cycling and public transport use across the city.
The plan also states the council intends to:
* limit access for private cars in 'transforming' the city centre
* consider introducing new cycle and bus lanes on dual carriageways
* consider turning on-street parking areas into wider footways to help social distancing
* consider turning wider, less used footways into shared footway cycle tracks
The council has already widened pedestrian areas in Kings Heath and Erdington to allow greater social distancing, and has now suggested potential further changes across the city.
The first part of road to be reallocated for cycle use will link the city centre to City Hospital via the Jewellery Quarter.
Major projects such as the Dudley Road improvement scheme will be looked at again with a view to maximising walking, cycling and public transport.
The Dudley Road scheme was due to be considered in an online cabinet meeting on April 21 but was removed from the agenda.
The city council has also stated it wants to identify two areas of the city to pilot an “active, low traffic neighbourhood” scheme by the end of the month.
It also said it wants to introduce support packages for schools and businesses to encourage sustainable travel and enable safe social distancing.
The plan restates the council's intention to roll out more 20mph speed limits in residential streets - “ideally introducing a default 20mph limit with support from Government in the form of a legislative change”.
The plan also feeds into its longer term low-carbon, clean air objectives of its full Birmingham Transport Plan 2031, due to be published later in 2020.
This development follows the announcement by transport secretary Grant Shapps of about a £2 billion package to support active travel.
Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Waseem Zaffar MBE, said: “Covid-19 has greatly impacted our city like many others. We must now ensure our city is well-prepared to provide all our communities with the opportunity to deliver a green, sustainable recovery.
“Transport and connectivity is critical to that and our Emergency Birmingham Transport Plan is the first step to this response.
“We must learn from the lockdown and consider how we can get our city moving in a safe, healthy and effective way.
“During the lockdown period, road traffic across Birmingham has reduced by 60 per cent over several weeks. This has created a quieter, safer environment for walking and cycling with much improved air quality.
“The Emergency Birmingham Transport Plan is a reset for how we move around the city and is the start of our work to ensure we come out of the Covid-19 lockdown with the ability to travel safely, healthily and sustainably.
“I know our city can build a bright, healthy future - this is our chance to deliver it.”
