Bike revolution uphill struggle

NEW figures from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) suggest the average resident in the city has not ridden a bike in eight years.

Some of those surveyed said it had been so long since they had ridden a bike, they had forgotten what to do.

If correct, it suggests organisers behind the £60 million plans to transform Birmingham into a cycle city face a battle to convince most people that it is both safe and healthy to pedal regularly.

The Department for Transport is funding the cycling initiative in the city, which has already seen cycle routes along canal towpaths and parks upgraded, cycle training grants to schools and 3,400 orange bikes handed out.

But last year it was announced that city bosses had scrapped plans to run cycle lanes along six main roads because they do not encourage enough people to swap their cars for bikes.

The council will instead focus its cycle revolution funding on creating two cycle “superhighways” from the city centre along the A38 Bristol Road to Selly Oak and the A34 Birchfield Road to Perry Barr.

But almost £12.5 million will also be spent on the segregated cycle lanes linking Selly Oak to Perry Barr via the city centre.

These will be all-weather green lanes aimed at being attractive to new and novice cyclists.