Despite having a reputation as motor-city, getting around Birmingham by bike is nowhere as difficult as non-Brummies would have you think!
Birmingham has a wonderful network of leafy back-streets, routes along green corridors and canals (more than Venice!) that make getting around the city by bike much less stressful then you might imagine.
Cycle route provision
Birmingham’s industrial past has left it with a huge number of canals, the towpaths of which form the basis of bike friendly routes in and around the city. The city’s green spaces, such as Cannon Hill Park also provide pleasant, leafy options for commuters wanting to avoid the traffic.
Birmingham is well blessed with National and local cycle routes. NCN5 enters the city from the north on quiet roads, briefly joining the NCN81 on the Birmingham Canal towpath.
From the south NCN585 uses the Worcester and Birmingham Canal to provide a traffic-free route into the city while NCN5 uses Cannon Hill Park, the Rea Valley route and quiet roads to access the city’s heart.
The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal forms the basis of NCN535 which runs into the city from the north-east. NCN 533, using the path of the Warwick and Birmingham Junction Canal and the Rea Valley, gives cyclists an alternative traffic-free route into the city from the north-east.
To the east of the city, the River Cole provides the basis for traffic-free riding between Stechford and Hall Green.
Cycle parking
Open Cycle Map shows a number of cycle parking locations in the city centre, with clusters of parking at the Bull Ring and near to Birmingham’s Universities and student accommodation.
Cycling and trains
Birmingham New Street station has bicycle racks in the short stay car park at the front of the station. Moor St has sheltered cycle parking between platforms 1 and 3 at the south end of the station. For information about taking your bike on the train, see National Rail’s link to individual train company cycle policy here.
Bike Shops
Birmingham has a number of bike shops in the city centre including; Evans and Bicicielo Pinarello in Temple St, Sprocket Cycles on Allison St and On Yer Bike on Bradford Street. Check out Open Cycle Map for more bike shop locations.
Don’t leave home without...
Requesting Birmingham City Council’s Cycling and Walking Map via this link.
Essential Links
Birmingham City Council’s Cycling Pages
Company Travelwise – helping Birmingham’s employers foster sustainable travel amongst their staff.
Bike North Birmingham is an exciting project that will transform the profile of cycling in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield over the next four years.
West Midlands Cycle Journey Planner – an excellent online tool for finding point to point routes.
MORE SUPPORT FOR YOUR COMMUTE: Ride Membership offers bike commuters legal protection, insurance and discounts on essential commuting kit. Click here for more details
