“Morally wrong” cycleway next to busy main road will destroy “ancient hedgerow”, say locals – who tell cyclists they can ride on footpath or road; Tour de France boss calls for budget cap and admits he “wasn’t a fan of the Sky era” + more on the live blog

Another day, another row over cycling in Birmingham…

Plans to install a footpath and cycleway around a new 5,500 home development have been opposed by more than 1,300 locals and councillors, who claim the proposed infrastructure is “morally wrong” and “vandalism” – because it would lead to the removal of a 410m stretch of “ancient” hedgerow beside a main road.

The massive new development in Sutton Coldfield, about nine miles to the northeast of Birmingham city centre, is set to include new internal roads, green spaces, play areas, and cycle and pedestrian networks, including a new shared-use cycleway and footpath around the perimeter of the site.

However, when the plans were originally submitted by the developers last year, this new cycle path was branded a “land grab” by local councillor Ken Wood, who said it would create a “dual carriageway” and a “tarmac moat” around the site (although I’m sure Ken had little to say about the roads surrounding the development).

In any case, that initial plan was shelved, with a new shorter, 3.5m-wide cycle lane now proposed, the construction of which will see 410 metres of hedgerow removed, instead of the originally slated 1,100m, and outside the boundaries of the development.

However, these plans are now the subject of an online petition launched by Sutton Reddicap councillor Richard Parkin, which has already attracted over 1,300 signatures as of Tuesday morning.

“We object to the proposals in the Langley development to remove and tarmac over the established hedgerow along Springfield Road between the junctions of Churchill Road and Reddicap Heath Road to make way for a new 3.5m wide Western Boundary footway/cycleway,” Parkin said in the petition.

“This unnecessary destruction of the natural environment will have devastating consequences to local wildlife.

“A new shared use footway/cycleway would instead be better placed running alongside the existing hedgerow within the new development. This will ensure a new footway/cycleway can be built to encourage active travel, whilst retaining the existing hedgerow and not harming the local environment.”

Writing on Facebook, the councillor continued: “I have been knocking on doors to get more signatures to add to the online petition and over 1,200 people have signed the petition so far. Every single person I have met opposes the plans.

“The Langley developers will be building on vast swathes of our beautiful countryside as it is. We cannot allow them to rip out our ancient hedgerow, a natural habitat and home to local wildlife, and tarmac over it.

“It’s morally wrong. And it’s unacceptable. I can’t promise the campaign will be successful but I will do all I can to save the hedgerow.”

Some of those who have signed the petition, such as Teresa Graham, described the cycleway plans as “unnecessary destruction and vandalism”.

“I thought it was supposed to be sustainable,” David Howes said of the cycle path plans. “We need to protect ancient hedgerows for wildlife and for beauty’s sake.”

“There is more than enough destruction going on in the fields as it is,” added Chris Walsh, who indulged in a bit of classic ‘but nobody cycles here’ bingo.

“We desperately need to keep the hedgerow. The wildlife will suffer terribly from the field building.

“Also people can cycle either on the footpath on the other side of the road or the road itself – not that I have ever seen anyone cycling up there. We have a major issue with global warming and flooding, we need these trees and hedgerows.”

Speaking to Birmingham Live, Parkin insisted that he’s “not against a cycleway and footway” – but argued that it should be on the developer’s side of the hedge.

“This hedgerow has been there for at least 100 years. It could be 200-years-old,” he said. “It’s established hedgerow. I am told Birmingham City Council want to have the whole length of the cycleway visible to existing Sutton Coldfield residents. I have been up and down the road and residents are against it.

“This hedgerow is a natural part of the environment and is full of wildlife. They could run it the other side of the hedgerow to keep residents happy. This is on a busy main road. It would be safer for cyclists to be the other side.

“I have done petitions before and I have never had a reaction like this. I have been overwhelmed by the responses. Everybody wanted to sign the petition.

“The residents are more angry about the hedgerow being removed than being incentivised to go cycling. If they have got any sense they will listen to residents. It’s an appalling destruction of the environment.”

> "This is not a ban on cycling": Council insists controversial proposal to "stop or limit" cyclists in Birmingham is "merely a reflection of how cycles are used in the city centre"

“In Walmley it will wipe out all the trees and verge and some of the hedge. All of the trees will go. Some are mature, others only planted last year,” added David Cooke, from the Walmley Residents Association.

“It beggars belief. We found out in September, it’s not a requirement of the developer. It’s a requirement of Birmingham City Council.

“City council planners have got it in their heads that they want to encourage cycling and walking. They also say it will benefit from existing street lighting. Cllr Parkin said there is no street lighting along Springfield Road on the opposite side of the road to the houses.

“If the topography is suitable, I’m with it. We are sitting at the top of a hill. Very few people actually cycle here. All this infrastructure is taking out verges and hedges. But who is going to use them?"

And perhaps unsurprisingly, 70 per cent of road.cc’s readers are all for redistributing that sweet, sweet wealth:

So, this means the UCI has to implement a salary cap now, don’t they?

Alright, let’s do another poll now – how about one on the farming inheritance tax? On second thoughts, probably best to leave that one alone…

Last month, you may recall, we reported that plans to create a new active travel path in Guildford were thrown out after councillors and campaigners raised concerns that cyclists could potentially endanger pedestrians on the proposed shared-use path, which some claimed would also create “pinch points” on the road and make it too narrow in places for lorry drivers.

The scrapped protected cycling and pedestrian path on London Road, which was to be funded by Active Travel England, was also set to include improvements to the existing footways, five new bus stops and shelters, a new toucan crossing, and the creation of parallel pedestrian and cyclist crossings.

A consultation carried out last year found that half of the 995 respondents believed that the scheme would contribute to the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users, while 31 per cent disagreed.

But after the scheme was rejected by Surrey County Council’s cabinet by six votes to three, that decision is set to be reconsidered by councillors today, with local cycling campaigners describing the proposals as “significantly safer for both pedestrians and cyclists than the current roads and paths”.

London Road, Guildford (Google Maps)

The local authority’s communities, environment, and highways select committee will scrutinise the cabinet’s decision to refuse the plans for London Road against their officers’ recommendations, after the Guildford Bike User Group (G-Bug) complained that the vote did not follow proper legal process.

“The council decision appears to ignore a number of important considerations, including the overwhelming evidence that the new scheme is significantly safer for both pedestrians and cyclists than the current roads and paths,” a G-Bug spokesperson said.

“The decision also takes account of matters that aren’t relevant, such as floating bus stops, which were removed from the scheme in 2023.”

However, Nikki Roberts, the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People’s CEO, told the BBC today that the group was “strongly opposing” plans for shared spaces at bus stops and on the pavement.

“Blind, visually impaired, disabled, older, and vulnerable bus passengers should be able to get on and off the bus independently directly from/to the pavement as they have always done,” she said.

Responding to the complaints raised by local cycling campaigners, council leader Tim Oliver said: “Alongside both the strength of feeling from the local community and the findings of an independent technical review about the London Road scheme, cabinet members decided not to proceed with this part of the proposal at their meeting on 29 October.

“This was a decision taken at a Cabinet meeting and as such is open to the council's call-in process as set out in the council constitution.”

It’s been a busy day for Chris Boardman.

Not only has the former Olympic champion been extolling the virtues of active travel to disinterested oil barons at COP29, he’s also been issuing councils across the UK with advice and guidance on how to set up and manage their own School Streets, so children can walk, cycle, and wheel to school without the nagging presence of a traffic jam blocking their way.

Published today and launched from COP29 in Baku, the Department for Transport and Active Travel England’s new guidance will enable, the government says, “millions more school runs” to be “transformed to be healthier, safer, greener, and more active”.

> “We needed to act”: Parents set up unofficial guerrilla School Street after several near misses for children cycling on narrow road used as shortcut by motorists

School Streets, which have proven contentious among some car-centric communities in recent years, restrict motor traffic outside school gates at pick-up and drop-off times, with only those with a permit allowed to drive on the road the school is located at those times.

“This creates a safer space for children and their families to walk, wheel, cycle or scoot to school,” Active Travel England says, while also bringing a “wealth of benefits to both school pupils and residents”, including improved physical and mental health for schoolchildren, reduced cases of dangerous driving, parking, and turning outside schools during school run times, and a reduction in emissions around schools.

The initiatives also, the government notes, enable more children to stay active by walking, wheeling, or cycling to school, which in turn reduces traffic in the local area, provides more opportunities for social interactions on the way to school, and offers more independence for older pupils.

There are hundreds of school streets already in existence in the UK, with over 180 funded by the government’s Active Travel Fund.

Today’s new guidance aims to increase this number, and outlines “how councils can better deliver school street schemes, so that they work best for pupils and staff as well as local businesses and residents”.

> Mum compares school run to “going into battle” as Sustrans calls for School Streets to be introduced in Northern Ireland

The guidance cites research and evidence from the Road Safety Trust, which shows these schemes increase active travel on the school run, are supported by most parents and residents in the nearby community, and do not cause significant road safety issues through traffic displacement.

It also comes after recent research commissioned by Active Travel England found that 85 per cent of people in England support active travel and would like to do more, while data from Sustrans has previously found that up to four out of five children want to walk or cycle to school.

“The majority of kids have told us they want to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle to school – it's what they want, and it’s what we want for them,” National Active Travel Commissioner Boardman said in a statement from Baku today.

“It is vital that we give them the opportunity to bookend their day in the classroom with fresh air and exercise, helping them build healthy travel habits for life.

“Through our new School Streets Guidance, we will be able to better design activity into our neighbourhoods and help make life happier and healthier for future generations, all while reducing congestion on the roads during school run times for residents and businesses – it's win-win for everyone.”

If you didn’t make it to the Rouleur Live show that ran in London from Thursday until Saturday – or even if you did and you fancy a reminder – we gathered up the the most interesting bikes and bits we spotted while having a nosey around:

> Check out our highlights from Rouleur Live: Canyon, Van Rysel, Colnago, Factor, Cervelo, Bianchi, Fizik…

> Chris Boardman tells much-criticised COP summit that cycling’s “superpower” can help tackle climate crisis, marks “first time” active travel “has actually appeared in a major platform” at the event

”Nobody cycles when it snows!” 🚲🚲🚲❄️❄️❄️ . People of #Oulu: ”Hold my kaulaliina🧣” 🚲🚲🚲🤷‍♂️ . #MeanwhileInOulu #VisitOulu #ThisIsFinland #wintercycling

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— Harri Vaarala (@harrivaarala.bsky.social) November 18, 2024 at 1:43 PM

We’ve heard from Tour de France head honcho Christian Prudhomme, now it’s over to you – is a salary cap, and with it the probable end of the ‘super team’ era, the way forward for cycling?

SuperSurvey

Of course, we’ve been here before, back in 2019, when a certain Bradley Wiggins wasn’t entirely convinced…

> Sir Bradley Wiggins rejects talk of salary cap