The right direction

Birmingham (with strong support from Coventry) is Britain's car city. As it was rebuilt after the bombing of WWII, car-making and all the associated industries, became central to its economy. Moreover, the city's infrastructure was reconstructed on the basic premise that independent, individual travel by motor-car would be the future ideal, and should be enabled at every level in the city's design. Mass transport, pedestrians and cyclists were all treated as secondary considerations. The car became an icon of both individual and municipal success

The wheel has now turned, so-to-speak. Over-reliance on cars is acknowledged as a weakness in a modern city (though you wouldn't know it, if you listen to the barrel-scraping of some politicians). Before it hit the financial buffers, the city council was doing its best to pedestrianise as much of the centre as possible, develop trams and divert traffic out of the centre on to ring roads. It's an uphill task though, when the very fabric of the place is pushing in the opposite direction

Recent newspaper articles highlight that, far from feeling oppressed by some bogus 'war on the motorist' some city residents are demanding action to curb the car. Four pedestrians or cyclists were killed by drivers in a month on Birmingham roads this summer - seven over the entire summer, including several children and an off-duty police officer. How many injured people must there also be? People are angry that speeding is uncontrolled and embedded in the culture, and that dangerous, anti-social parking goes unpunished. Where authorities do try to enforce controls, staff have been abused and assaulted. They want better cycling and pedestrian infrastructure and a safer city for everyone

It all sounds a bit grim, but I take heart from the fact that organised pressure groups that want to put the car in its proper place are being heard - I think the tide is moving their way. I think I'm feeling smug because I've only travelled by bike today, and not by car. I stopped to let these road-users past. I'm impressed by their road sense (well, most of them). If sheep can stick to the rules, the rest of us should be able to do better