As part of Central Governments recent announcement of a £250 million Emergency Active Travel Fund to support walking and cycling over the next few years (which forms part of a larger £2 billion funding package), Birmimgham City Council has today launched an Emergency Transport Plan in light of the impacts of COVID-19.

The proposals build on the principles of the draft Transport Plan 2031 and sets out plans for a wide range of emergency measures to accelerate the initiatives relating to walking, cycling and public transport throughout the city.

The plan contains a set of principles that will guide investment in transport so that it is able to serve a future Birmingham that provides a better, healthier and safer environment in which to live and work in; the emergency plan will be delivered in the following key phases:

  • Short term – the next few weeks;
  • Medium term – the next few months; and
  • Longer term – beyond 2020.

The emergency plan prioritises and accelerates some of the measures that were outlined in the draft Transport Plan cand will be organised around the same four “Big Moves”:

A number of new supporting measures will be utilised to support the vision of the Emergency Birmingham Transport Plan:

  • Returning to workplaces: support for agile and flexible home working;
  • Reopening schools: focusing particularly on sustainable travel to schools;
  • Support for cycling: support new & returning cyclists, particularly to and from work;
  • Network Management: appropriate traffic signal changes, for example giving more priority to pedestrians;
  • Management of street works: carry out street works in ways that would have been too disruptive under normal circumstances; and
  • Communications, engagement and promotion: changes to the way in BCC consult with stakeholders and the public, to ensure they are kept informed of changes to transportation infrastructure.

mode transport planning will be sure to keep a close eye on how this emergency Transport Plan and the Birmingham Transport Plan 2031 develops, ensuring our advice and assistance to existing and future clients is in line with the Council’s aims; further assuring that future developments planned can help create an increasingly sustainable and safe second city!