Yesterday I received a letter in the post from the Birmingham City Council asking for my opinion on several proposals they have to improve the Tyburn Road route (along the A38).

For the past few months (or even years?) they’ve suspended the bus lane along the dual carriage way in order to make it easier for regular traffic to get through. But because of this less people are willing to use the buses which travel along that road (e.g. the #67 service), and because more people are now driving the buses are even slower! There is also a large number of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) on this road travelling either in to town or to the M6.

Three possible options have been identified for the Tyburn Road bus lanes:

1. Bring back the bus lane for buses, cycles, motorcycles and taxis, but with the lane finished further back from junctions in order to allow more traffic to pass through traffic signals. This option is aimed at helping to improve the reliability of bus services. I like this idea, but I think there’s so much traffic on the Tyburn road that this would bring everything else apart from the buses to a standstill.
2. A shared bus lane, which can be used by buses, HGVs, cycles, motorcycles and taxis. This would help to improve the reliability of buses while also helping HGVs on their journey times and keep these large vehicles in the inside lane. This is the option I prefer the most. From what I’ve seen the HGVs make up a large portion of the traffic so to keep them in a single lane should make things easier for other traffic in other lane, although I’m not sure how much the HGVs would affect the buses.
3. Remove the bus lane completely (as it is now). Well, everything seems to be going along fine right now, and like they say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, although if reinstating the bus lane would convince more people to travel by bicycle or public transport then I think it should be done.

I also wish the council would clean up the Birmingham – Fazely canal-side walk. If they cut back the bushes along that route (especially on the side just north of the M6 (J6)) it would make it so much easier to get to work. I currently cycle in to the city centre (well, when I can be arsed ;-)), however because of the overgrowth on the canal side route I have to travel along the Tyburn Road until just before the M6, at which point the canal side route becomes easier to use.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on this matter? Send your views to the council either

1. Via their webpage: http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/tyburnroad
2. By telephone: 0121 303 0089
3. By email: tyburnroad@birmingham.gov.uk

no later than Tuesday, October 31st, 2006!

BTW they’re also having a prize draw of £50 of high street vouchers for all questionnaires completed (see the web page)! OoOoOoh!