Just 1.7pc of journeys made on bikes

Speaking at a recent ‘Ask Andy’ event, the mayor repeated his goal of having five per cent of journeys in the West Midlands made by bicycle by 2023. Currently the figure is just 1.7 per cent.

And he said that, while hitting this figure would be a challenge, the upcoming roll-out of a bike sharing scheme across the region will help more people ditch their cars.

“What we’ve got to do is invest in a lot more to do with cycling,” he said.

“When I stood here before I said we’re going to get 5 per cent of journeys across the West Midlands by cycling, and we’re still only at 1.7 per cent.

“So we’ve got a long way to go. Having said that we have got the cycle share scheme off the ground, which is being tested at Birmingham University over the next couple of weeks, and then we’ll roll it out.

“And that will begin to change opinions on just how important cycling is to our way of life. We’ve also got to invest more cash in some of the more secure routes and it’s great, though this was before my time, it’s great that we’ve got the one along the Bristol Road and the Walsall Road.

“Because that will again begin to change drivers’ understanding of the priority of the cycle, just as has happened in London.

“So I’d describe this as lots is happening, a hell of a long way to go, but absolutely a work in progress.”

The scheme was first announced earlier this year, with Birmingham University one of the few ‘trials’ in the region.

Under the new scheme users can sign up for an annual membership of just £30, with docking sites located around key towns and cities across the West Midlands.

The scheme will bring 5,000 bikes to the West Midlands – 2,000 in the first roll-out and 3,000 in 2019.

The first 2,000 will be available across Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton later this year, with another 3,000 available in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Solihull in 2019.