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Writer's pictureTobetravelz

Can Birmingham ditch the car dominance?

It has been hard for Britain's former motor capital to shake off its car dominating identity at a time when more cities look to public transport.

The Aston Expressway A38(M) is Britain's second slowest motorway. Image courtesy of Alamy, retrieved from The Sun.
Aston Expressway (A38(M)), one of the main entry points into Birmingham city centre. Image credit to Alamy.

The West Midlands has long been associated with Britain's car-making industry with Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin currently headquartered in the West Midlands as well as the former MG Plant at Longbridge, the automotive industry in the West Midlands had long established Birmingham as the motor capital of Britain.


This nostalgia of the 'car-boom' has, as suggested by The Economist, resulted in the damning finding that Birmingham is a very inactive city. That is, based on a percentage of people that use active forms to travel. The lowest 100 cities were found to have all been in North America. Outside of North America? Birmingham.


Yes, Birmingham is supposedly the least active city outside of North America.


Should this be surprising? After all, Birmingham is one of Britain's major cities. Simply walking everywhere would not be sustainable and public transport would be the more sensible option. However, even with public transport, Birmingham does lag behind other UK cities in the use of non-private vehicle infrastructure for trips. The National Travel Survey shows that the West Midlands as a whole (which is the largest conurbation outside of London) has the highest percentage of trips made by private modes (69%) in England. The Aston Expressway (A38(M)) is one of the main entry points into Birmingham city centre and is one of Britain's slowest whilst 4 out of 10 most congested roads outside of London are in Birmingham with the A45 (E/B) the most congested outside of London.


Indeed, Birmingham's public transport has progressed far less than other European and even British cities. While Manchester and Sheffield have their mass network of the Metrolink and Supertram respectively (both consisting of various branches and lines), the West Midlands equivalent, the West Midlands Metro, has only one line. The West Midlands Bus Network has dropped to an all time low, with the number of services (bus and coaches) cut by 40% compared to 10 years ago.

The West Midlands Bus Network has seen a 40% decrease in services compared to 2014. Image courtesy of National Express West Midlands, retrieved from BBC.

Will the car dominance ever be ditched?

Politically, it is unlikely. The Conservative government have taken an increasing what it calls a pro-car, 'maintaining freedom' stance with Transport Secretary Mark Harper attacking London's Ultra Low Emission Zone in the 'Plan for Drivers' (similarly, in Birmingham, the Clean Air Zone was launched in 2021 after the European Commission threatened to fine Birmingham City Council for failing to meet air quality standards). Labour has been keen on protecting drivers from the cost of living crisis as well as enhancing public transport options - though, no manifesto (from both the Conservatives and Labour) has been released as of now ahead of the July 4th election so all is uncertain.

The 'car-boom' dominated Birmingham's already well-established manufacturing industry. © British Motor Industry Heritage Trust.

Financially, it remains unlikely. Even as new Metro extensions are planned (or limited given the sheer cost of delivering a Metro extension - Transport for West Midlands are so far only committed to a Brierley Hill-Dudley branch and Solihull extension), it is going to take a lot more than a tram to induce the modal shift to public and active transport. Bus fares have been capped to £2 from the Government's post-COVID bus recovery policy and are guaranteed until the end of the year. National Express West Midlands, the largest bus operator in the region, has threatened fare rises on various occasions (even whilst the £2 cap was/is in place). Unless there is an overhaul in the bus contracts process (of which, the incumbent Mayor of the West Midlands aims to do), then fares are at risk of rising, further disincentivising travellers to commute by bus. Even then will the transition (and subsequent knock-off effects) only be observed and realised in the far future.

The growth of the West Midlands Metro network has been sluggish compared to other counterparts. Image credit to West Midlands Combined Authority. Retrieved from Intelligent Transport.

There is the overall question of whether Birmingham should keep the car mentality. After all, Birmingham would not be the city it would be today had it not been at the forefront of Britain's industrial revolution. Birmingham would not have been the 'workshop of the world' without its automotive factories and manufacturers. Even with the decline of the manufacturing industry, it is evident that Birmingham's car industry is etched into the city (and regional) identity.


Whether it can or cannot ditch the car and whether it should or should not, the car question in Birmingham is going to need the attention of those highest in local and national government - the type of attention that has been somewhat neglected over the last 20 years.

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