According to a report by Bike Life (2017) almost 80% of people do not feel the streets of Birmingham are safe to cycle and many are calling for improvements in facilities.

A lack cycle-friendly infrastructure is a nationwide issue but it is especially a problem in Birmingham where the roads are often congested and cycle lanes are often inadequate and unsafe. This means that the general public are deterred from using cycling as a regular mode of transport, despite the growing concerns for the impact of air pollution that cars and other vehicles have on the environment and the health of Birmingham residents. If cycling could replace cars to some extent, this would benefit all, and help significantly to solve these issues.

This is clearly as issue that Birmingham City Council care about, as demonstrated by the successful, safe 'Blue Routes' in the city already. These have encouraged many commuters and residents to take up cycling as a mode of transport in place of cars. We want to see more safe infrastructure like this to continue encouraging even more people to take up cycling and to feel safe on their bikes. 

We are proposing for more segregated cycle lanes to be installed throughout Birmingham, especially in the East as this area currently does not have access to sufficient routes for cyclists. Segregated routes, like the Blue Routes, help to keep cyclists safe and feeling safe by providing a physical barrier between cyclists and cars.