By james art 
Another council is considering banning bicycles in city center areas to prevent a “dangerous mix” of pedestrians and cyclists.
Birmingham City Council has become the latest in a string of local authorities to crack down on cyclists in pedestrian areas, joining Colchester, Bedford and Grimsby.
Professor David Cox, cycling guru, former chairman of Cycling UK and campaign leader of the charity’s Bike West Midlands Network group, described the proposal as “counterproductive to Birmingham’s transport strategy”.
A council community safety executive report claims growing numbers of cyclists delivering food and mail are traveling “at speed and without regard for other pedestrians”.
The report recommends that the council consider restricting the use of bicycles and e-bikes in high-traffic pedestrian areas.
It is thought new restrictions could be introduced as part of the Public Safety Protection Orders (PSPOs) currently in place in the city.
Professor Cox, who has cycled through the city center for 50 years, said the council should focus on solving the specific problem of e-bike couriers.
He said: “Instead of dealing with this they want to ban all cycling. This will affect people who use bicycles as a mobility aid and people like me who are elderly.”
The city center has been “completely neglected” in terms of cycling infrastructure, Prof Cox claims.
Martin Price, head of policy at tourism campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham, said the solution was “a network of safe, segregated cycle routes in the city centre” and for delivery platforms to “take responsibility for their couriers”.
Birmingham City Council is not the only council to introduce cycling restrictions in pedestrian areas.
Bedford has seen 738 people fined for cycling in pedestrian areas in recent months, according to Peter Blakeman, chairman of Cycling Campaign for North Bedfordshire.
Writing an open letter in The Bedford IndependentMr Blakeman said the result was “a big drop in residents cycling into the city”.
In Grimsby, councilor Ron Shepherd told people to “get off their bike and walk on the relatively short stretch of pavement” if they wanted to avoid a fine for riding in the town centre.
At least nine cities across the country have introduced cycling or skateboarding bans similar to Birmingham’s. The Guardian reports.
Birmingham City Council said: “We are considering measures to try to reduce the incidence of high speed cycling through a small area of the city center where there is a high step and it is not safe to cycle due to the likelihood of close accidents and collisions.
“Before any decisions are made, we are seeking everyone’s views through consultation on how best to manage the issue.
“This does not affect the council’s commitment to prioritize pedestrians and cyclists as part of ongoing developments and its transport plan.
“Appropriate restrictions can be put in place in this pedestrian only area to restrict all cycles, some cycles, manage the direction of cycles to ensure safe traffic flow or no action on this issue. “