Birmingham City Centre streets could be pedestrianised for 11 hours a day as part of a major project to improve links between rail stations.
Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Investment Board are expected to approve the business case for the £12.926m City Centre Active Travel Connections to Interchanges phase one at a meeting on Monday (December 9).
The aim of the scheme is to improve connections between public transport exchanges such as New Street and Snow Hill stations and Colmore Row Bus Interchange. It will also see Bennetts Hill, Temple Street and part of New Street pedestrianised between 11am and 11pm seven days a week, apart from emergency vehicles.
It is also hoped the improvements will increase active travel into and within the city centre and help reduce collisions between pedestrians and cyclists by 20 per cent by 2030. Work will include nine new cycle stands, two bike maintenance hubs, almost 7,000 square metres of shared-use paving, new signage, benches, street lighting, and drainage.
The project will be managed and delivered by Birmingham City Council with the money coming from WMCA’s City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement.
A report to the Investment Board said: “The City Centre Active Travel Connections to Interchanges project focusses on the last mile journeys by active modes of travel within the city core.
“It aims to improve quality of connections between public transport interchanges including New Street Station, Snow Hill Station and Colmore Row Bus Interchange. The project seeks to provide greater permeability and quality of connections on key city centre links for active travel users by re-allocating road space away from vehicular traffic to active travel modes, including walking, cycling and wheeling.
“This includes pedestrianising the city core loop of Temple Street and Bennetts Hill between 11am – 11pm, seven days a week to give greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists, combined with dedicated infrastructure to enhance the active travel offer in the city centre for last-mile journeys and encourage more sustainable and healthy travel choices. This scheme is vital to make the city core more accessible and people friendly whilst maintaining access and deliveries for businesses and residents.
“Seamless connectivity between interchanges by active modes of travel is particularly important to encourage healthy and active choices and make the city centre a safe and attractive destination. The city core is a pedestrian-dominated environment, with narrow footway widths and frequent conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.”
