www.brum.org is campaigning for an Amsterdam-like cycle network in Birmingham. Contact us if you want to join in birminghamcyclenetwork@blueyonder.co.uk

Benefits
Cycling has all the benefits a modern society needs. It is fun, and very quick for short journeys. Combined with a bus network, long distances could be by both bike and bus.

Our health
Obesity rates are rising fast. In parts of the city, already 25% of us are diabetic. Cycling halves these rates.

The proof
see the evidence

Amsterdam...a model
Amsterdam has a 25-50% cycle rate. Amsterdam city Council set out to make cycling safer and popular. Of course the city's geography helped, flat with narrow roads. But such a network is just what Birmingham needs. Even now Amsterdam is going to spend 100million euros to improve its network further, and reduce car use.

Children, inexperienced cyclists and accidents
Less experienced cyclists particularly need slow traffic speeds. Speeds in Birmingham are often double speed limits, and the limits are too high for safe cycling. Amsterdam has slow speeds on all residential roads, and cycle lanes on busy roads. With practice, young people can cycle anywhere. Accidents, per mile cycled, are much lower than Birmingham. Indeed, the more miles cycled the lower accidents rates, as cars learn to give cyclists more space, and avoid accidents (by being careful turning left, for instance).

Cycle training
This is important, and per £ spent is more cost effective than slowing traffic and cycle lanes. However, in reality, we need both. Few people find it safe to cycle at present.

25 years
One problem is that there is a very low rate of cycling base here, and few people find it safe to cycle. Everyone else would have to develop cycling skills, and these take years to learn. Even the London Cycle Network has only 2-4% cycle rates. So at best numbers of cyclists will increase gradually and take 25years to increase substantially.

A complete network
Thus only when routes link up, so that it is possible to link every home to everywhere we want to go, will cycling rates increase to the Amsterdam rates. This is a 'chicken and egg' situation..we will not build up cycling skill until it is safe, and people will not use the network in large numbers until it is nearly fully developed. There is no way round this dilemma.

A child will want to cycle to a friend's house or secondary school. Simple building routes for commuters will not help children. Similarly, the new Sheldon route will be mainly for pleasure.

Our journey
In this way we will be able to cycle from home on a residential street (10-20 mph limits), and then join a busy road, where we would cycle on a dedicated path. We would be able to cycle from anywhere to anywhere without needing to cycle on a busy road.

Birmingham Councillors
Push Bikes has surveyed councillors, and 20% actively support cycling. Indeed, the only ones opposed appear to be Len Gregory (Transportation Cabinet member) and Mike Whitby (Leader). Together they think that faster traffic is key to more investment. But they make the decisions.

A pleasant city ...more investment
In fact the opposite is true. A more pleasant greener city, with a more reliable bus service, fewer cars, and slower cars, has been shown to increase investment in many cities and bring in many jobs.

Birmingham Cycling Map
After years of delay there is a new cycling map, available from here.

Other Benefits of cycling
There are many other benefits of cycling. As with any form of exercise, it will reduce criminal and risk taking behaviour. Thus if the police tackled speeding, more people would cycle, and crime rates would drop.

We know that 8% of all disease in cities is due to particulates, and in Birmingham nearly 50% of particulates will be from transport.
Birmingham produces >200,000 tons of CO2 from transport (1 billion miles driven in Birmingham each year, at 1 ton CO2 for each 5000 miles driven).