Council spends £88,500 to remove bus lane

• May. 8 by Georgie Campbell (0)

Local transport groups in Birmingham have voiced their fury at the council’s decision to remove a bus lane in an extremely busy part of the city.

 West Midlands Campaign for Better Transport (CFBT), along with Birmingham’s Friends of the Earth, spoke out against Councillor Len Gregory after ha announced the decision to spend £88,500 removing the bus lane.

 Kevin Chapman, Chair of the CFBT, said:

 ”We have been waiting for this decision to be made since 2004.  After the lane was suspended in the summer of 2004 a decision was supposed to be made in six months.  Five years down the line and the wrong one has been made.”

Suggesting the council is less environmentally concerned that it would like local residents to believe, it is thought the removal of the bus lane will increase the number of cars entering the city.

View West Midlands 67 Bus Route in a larger map

The proposed closure of the Tyburn Road bus lane has been contested by many local users, with over 2,000 signing a petition against the suspension.

Mr Chapman went on to explain:

 ”The council is sending out a negative message to everyone. They spent thousands installing the lanes and a few years later they want to take them out.  They are sending out a negative message about Birmingham’s ability to spend transport funding wisely.”

 The removal of the Route 67 bus lane between the beginning of Tyburn Road and the Kingsbury Road junction is predicted to increase congestion in the area due to its proximity to the M6 motorway, said Birmingham’s Friends of the Earth.

 Mr Chapman pointed out the distinct diversion from Conservative Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers’ promise to promote bus lane priority on her election, when she declared a new allegiance to “delivering the improvements to service reliability that we need.”

 The decision, made by the nicknamed Len “Gridlock” Gregory appeared even more unsuitable after a partnership between National Express, West Midlands Travel, Centro and West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority was signed two weeks ago to promote a reliable service to local residents.

 Mr Chapman went on to say:

 ”As far as Birmingham City Council are concerned bus users are second class citizens, despite paying their council tax to the city and living, working and shopping here.

 ”The bus services need to remain reliable to attract people out of their cars and keep the passengers they’ve got.”

 Birmingham’s Friends of the Earth representative, Martin Stride, added:

 ”After dithering for three years, Len Gregory has arrived at a solution which can only be regarded as a backward step.  His decision has left Birmingham at the bus stop.”