West Midlands co-ordinated cycling strategy launched

Transport for West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority announce ambitious plans to increase investment in cycling and walking in the region.

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) announced an ambitious plans to increase investment in cycling in the region, and improve infrastructure and funding.  The report, entitled A Common Approach to Cycling and Walking in the West Midlands, lays out a number of plans drawn up by Transport for West Midlands; these include the appointment of a Cycling and Walking Ambassador by March, new branding and goals to raise cycling investment to at least £10 a head each year.

The report, endorsed by the WMCA board at its meeting in Birmingham, reaffirms commitment to see more people making the switch to pedal power.  It aims to do this by putting forward 26 priority corridors for investment covering nearly 200km through Birmingham, the Black Country, Coventry and Solihull. 

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Cycling can reduce traffic congestion, improve health and wellbeing and reduce pollution. It is good for the cyclist and good for the wider travelling public so we have set out ambitious targets to increase the number of journeys made by bike in the region. 

“This shows the scale of our ambitions for cycling but we also know that one of the biggest barriers to cycling is safety, so we are planning to focus investment on 26 key routes that link communities across the West Midlands and offer people a genuine alternative to their cars.”

Jesse Norman MP, Minister of State for the Department for Transport, who visited Birmingham recently, said: “Getting people cycling and walking is key to improving air quality, encouraging healthy exercise, and boosting our high streets and economic productivity. 

“These new safe cycle routes, which the Department for Transport is supporting through the Transforming Cities Fund, will help to make cycling the natural choice for journeys across the region. 

"We are also investing around £2 billion to support cycling across the country as part of our long term Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.”

The full report can be downloaded here.