Clean Air Strategy

This month we launched Birmingham City Council's Clean Air Strategy. The document is crucial to creating a bolder, greener vision for the city and sets out a clear set of actions, priorities and pledges that will enable everyone to improve the air we breathe.

The strategy aims to encourage a greater understanding of the types of air pollution, its sources, greater collaboration between the Council and other significant stakeholders in the city and to embed key priorities around improving air quality into the Council’s decision-making processes. It includes several pledges that provide clear guidance around the role the Council will take in improving air quality in the city. Read more on the Brum Breathes website.

Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme

If you work within Birmingham's Clean Air Zone and earn less than £30,000 per year, you may be eligible to apply for £2000 mobility credit to use on public transport via a Swift Card with Transport for West Midlands or £2000 credit towards a compliant vehicle from Motorpoint. Find out more about the Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme.

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Travel Plan Success

Workplaces across Birmingham continue to take positive steps to encourage staff, visitors and customers to choose greener, healthier travel for work-related journeys.

We would like to congratulate the following organisations for recently gaining accreditation through the Modeshift STARS scheme: Bryt Energy, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Midlands Arts Centre, Atkins (new Birmingham office, Two Chamberlain Square), West Midlands Combined Authority, Aston University, South and City College Birmingham, Birmingham City University, Birmingham Metropolitan College, Newman University, Pell Frischmann and SCC Academy Birmingham. Keep up the great work!

Organisations in Birmingham can participate in the Modeshift STARS travel planning and accreditation scheme for FREE. Contact us: connected@birmingham.gov.uk

Sustainable Business: Net Zero

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has produced a Low-Carbon Support for Businesses Grid which brings together national and regional support and funding for low-carbon business activity. Have a look and see what support is on offer your business.

Car Free School Streets

As part of their travel plans, five more Car Free School Streets are preparing to join the 12 already active in Birmingham! These are:

• Brownmead Academy - Shard End
• Colmore Junior and Infant School - Kings Heath
• St Dunstan's Catholic School - Brandwood and Kings Heath
• Court Farm Primary School - Perry Common
• Nansen Primary School - Alum Rock

Car Free School Streets enable children to commute sustainably to and from school because they provide greater protection from road accidents and pollution. The Active Wellbeing Society are holding an active travel closure on each street, in preparation. Read more about the closures on the Council website.

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Birmingham's Plan

Commonwealth Games Transport Plan

During the Commonwealth Games, over 1 million people will travel around the region to training and competition venues. The Games Transport Plan explains how we'll make sure transport runs smoothly for everyone during this time. Read the plan on the Transport for West Midlands website.

Local Transport Plan

The draft West Midlands Local Transport Plan (LTP), called Reimagining Transport in the West Midlands, shows how the region can meet the challenges of tackling climate change, reducing traffic congestion and improving access to transport whilst supporting the post-Covid 19 economic recovery.

Transport for West Midlands have drawn up the plan which builds on changes in travel behaviour seen during the coronavirus pandemic such as increases in cycling, walking and scooting and a reduction in five-days-per-week commuting. The public are now invited to have their say on the draft Local Transport Plan via the Transport for West Midlands website survey.

Perry Barr Masterplan

The final version of the Perry Barr 2040: A Vision for Legacy masterplan was adopted by Birmingham City Council's Cabinet on 8 February. Six key objectives underpin the final version of the masterplan for the area, set to play an integral part in the hosting of the Commonwealth Games this summer.

The Final Draft of the Masterplan can be viewed in the papers prepared for last week's Cabinet meeting. Now that the masterplan has been adopted, the council will continue to work with partners and stakeholders to develop a programme-wide business case and delivery plan.

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Walking & Cycling

Big Birmingham Bikes giveaway

On 17 February, 20 of 500 selected Birmingham residents collected a free bicycle courtesy of our Big Birmingham Bikes scheme. It aims to increase the health and mobility of those who do not have the resources to buy their own bikes.

The bikes will be distributed by The Active Wellbeing Society and consist of a mixture of adult and children's bicycles, enabling more families to cycle together.

Love your bike sessions

Love Your Bike pop-up events are back, with FREE bike maintenance at Birmingham New Street station - taking place at the cycling hub. Set up just in time to help make 2022 your year of cycling!

To enjoy the freebie: head to the Love your Bike Facebook event page, choose a date, click 'interested' or 'going' and then head to the drop in session with your bike between 12:00 -15:00. Sessions are being held on Thursday 10 March and Tuesday 15 March. There is also a free drop-in bike maintenance session on Saturday 19 February 9am-1pm, hosted by Cannon Hill Cycling Club on MAC's Outdoor Terrace.

Half term Bikeability

Bikeability teaches people how to be confident and safe cyclists. The 2-hour sessions are FREE for families and children and will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a limited number of participants. Free access to a bike and helmet are available at the sessions if you don't have one!

There are various locations with sessions everyday over the February half term (21 - 25 February) between 10am-12pm and 12:30pm -2:30pm. Locations include:

• Calthorpe Park, Cheddar Rd, Balsall Heath, B12 9LF
• Georges Park, Wills Street, Lozells, B19 1PP
• Small Heath Wellbeing Centre, Muntz Street, B10 9RX

Places are limited so booking is recommended! Email bikeability@theaws.org or call 01217287030 if you have any questions. Please note parents/guardians will need to remain on site at all times.

Free Cycle Racks

Organisations can still apply for FREE cycle racks through Transport for West Midlands and Park That Bike. Be quick as there is a limited amount of cycle parking available.

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Current Works

A34 Perry Barr Highway Scheme

Work continues to progress on the A34 Perry Barr Highway Scheme. From Monday 14 February, there have been surfacing works to Birchfield Island.

On Saturday 19 February at 7pm, Birchfield Island and all approaches will close, but the A34 underpass will continue running throughout. The junction will reopen at 6am on Tuesday 22 February and will no longer be a roundabout but a signalised junction.

All footpaths will remain open throughout the works and access to all businesses by foot will be maintained. Please consider re-timing your journeys where possible and plan ahead. To see an interactive map of the works, sign up for updates on the Perry Barr Regeneration Programme and get help planning your journey, please visit Transport for West Midlands.

HS2

A series of surveys and inspections will take place in and around A47 Heartlands Parkway, Aston Church Road Roundabout from Monday 7 March to Thursday 10 March (operational from 10pm to 5am). There will be lane closures in and around the roundabout. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. For more information and to keep updated on what is happening in your area, please visit HS2.

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Electric Vehicles

Birmingham City Council are committed to reducing the city's carbon emissions which includes supporting the use of electric or plug in hybrid vehicles (EVs). As more models become available, the Council has a key role in ensuring there is sufficient charging infrastructure so that all Birmingham residents can make the switch to electric.

You are invited to complete an electric vehicle survey which aims to understand what other kinds of charging infrastructure is needed by Birmingham residents.

Fifth Gear Recharged

Birmingham City Council, National Express and WrightBus recently worked with Channel 5 and the Fifth Gear programme makers on their coverage of hydrogen vehicles and the transition to hydrogen buses. Watch this YouTube clip from the Fifth Gear episode. The bus used in the video is Birmingham's first hydrogen bus.

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Have Your Say

Cycle Parking 2022 Phase 1 - We are installing cycle parking facilities at several locations with strong demand across the city to tackle the barriers deterring people from cycling. Consultation closes 23 February 2022.

Route to Zero Public Survey 2022 - We want to hear your views and ideas for what can be done in Birmingham to help tackle climate change, and what you think a greener, more sustainable future to the city should look like. Consultation closes 28 February 2022.

Cross-city bus phase 1 (city centre) Traffic Regulation Order Consultation - This consultation is about the Traffic Regulation Orders associated with the cross-city bus Phase 1 city centre scheme. Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority and Birmingham City Council are working together on a number of road schemes in Birmingham city centre which aim to improve bus travel. Consultation closes on 10 March 2022.

Snow Hill Public Realm, Colmore Row/Livery Street Traffic Regulation Order consultation - This consultation is about the Traffic Regulation Orders associated with Colmore Row (East) and Livery Street. It forms part of the Snow Hill Public Realm programme to improve public transport interchange and connectivity, enhance the public realm and prioritise pedestrian movement, reallocate the unused on-street parking and encourage on-street activities. Consultation closes 17 March 2022.

Electric Vehicle charging point survey - This survey aims to understand the electric vehicle charging needs of those living in areas who have limited or no off-street parking. Consultation is ongoing.

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Dates for the Diary

23 February - Play Streets and Active Travel - Playing Out are the national organisation behind play streets and they will speaking with Chris Boardman MBE all about his plans for improving infrastructure for cycling and walking. Find out more about the Play Streets events and sign up for free.

23 February - HS2 Webinar, Old Curzon Street Station - This webinar will focus on the restoration of Old Curzon Street Station. You'll have the opportunity to put questions to the restoration experts and hear how works on one of the world's oldest surviving pieces of monumental railway architecture are progressing. Book your place for the HS2 webinar.

21 March to 1 April - Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel - The UK's largest inter-school walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling challenge which aims to inspire hundreds of thousands of pupils to get active on the school run. Learn more about the challenge with Sustrans.

22 March - National Walking Summit 2022 - Living Streets' summit will look at how we can create truly inclusive streets for all and how we ensure marginalised voices are brought into transport planning and design. Book your place for the Living Streets summit now!

31 March - Modeshift STARS Business Conference: Supporting the journey to Net Zero - This event is in partnership with Travel2Next and is open to all including; local authorities, transport consultancies, charities, NHS settings and workplaces. Visit the Modeshift webpage for more info and to book.

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Article posted 18 February 2022