City proposes city centre ban on cyclists to protect pedestrians

A city is proposing a blanket ban on cyclists in its centre in order to protect pedestrians - with fines for those who flout the rules.

Birmingham City council has become the latest local authority to consider barring cyclists from pedestrian-only areas in a bid to stop anti-social cycling. 

A report by the council's regulation and community safety executives raises concerns that food and parcel couriers on e-bikes who hurtle down streets 'at speed and without care for pedestrians', pose a risk to the public.

The review suggests adding cycling in pedestrian zones to the city's current public spaces protection order (PSPO) which gives police the power to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

The current city centre PSPO includes a ban on large scale gatherings, grafitti and anti-social street drinking.

Under the new proposals, which are due to go to public consultation, cycling could be 'restricted by time periods' or banned completely, according to the report.

Mat MacDonald, the chairman of the Better Streets for Birmingham campaign group, told The Guardian: 'If you have someone zipping by at 20mph on one of those things, it does create a risk.

'But there is already ample legislation to deal with that. 

'There are ways of clamping down on that problem that don't involve cutting off the entire middle of the city for people who are travelling by bike.

'It would only make cycling more dangerous in Birmingham.'   

Campaigners agree and say the rules increase the danger by pushing cyclists onto congested roads and also unfairly punish people trying to travel more sustainably. 

Duncan Dollimore, the head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: 'There are people in this world who are irresponsible, and some of them are on a bike – but if that's the problem, we need to deal with that behaviour.'

He added that banning a 'whole class of activity' will not address the issue.

A Birmingham City council spokesman said: 'We are considering measures to try and decrease instances of cycling at speed through one small area of the city centre where there is high footfall, and it is unsafe to cycle due to the likelihood of near misses and collisions.

'This does not impact on the council's commitment to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists as part of ongoing developments and its transportation plan.'

Cllr Ron Shepherd said extending the public spaces protection order had made the street safer and stamped out loitering.

He added that the aim was to improve the experience of shoppers by removing the stress of being run over. 

Birmingham would only be the latest in a string of cities and towns imposing restrictions on cycling or skateboarding in pedestrian areas.

Deliveroo and Just Eat riders in Canterbury were hit with £100 fines for riding through pedestrianised areas after locals were forced to dodge reckless cyclists this summer.

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Deliveroo and Just Eat riders are hit with £100 fines for riding through pedestrianised areas

Nearly 40 food delivery staff working for the companies have been slapped with the penalties for biking through the city centre. 

And North East Lincolnshire council took drastic measures to stop cyclists, introducing a tannoy system that made an announcement every half an hour reminding people that cycling is prohibited along a 200-metre pedestrianised shopping street in Grimsby.

 In June, Colchester city council apologised and agreed to waive £100 fines dished out to cyclists allegedly breaking rules on cycling in pedestrian areas after campaigners said people were being unfairly targeted by 'cowboy wardens'.

The local authority apologised for the manner in which the public spaces protection order was implemented and recognised 'the frustration for responsible cyclists'.

Last year, cycling was included in the public spaces protection order by Coventry City council.

Peterborough and Southend-on-Sea councils have followed suit and also introduced restrictions.