Another advice consider a ban on cycling in parts of the city center to prevent the “dangerous combination” of pedestrians and bicycles.

Birmingham City Council has become the latest in a series of local authorities to consult on cracking down on cyclists in pedestrian areas, in addition to Colchester, Bedford and Grimsby.

Professor David Cox, cycling guru, former president of the Cycling United Kingdom and leader of the charity’s Bike West Midlands Network campaign group, described the proposal as “counterproductive to Birmingham’s transport strategy”.

A Community Safety Branch report submitted to council claims a growing number of cyclists delivering food and mail are traveling “at high speeds and with little regard for other pedestrians”.

The report recommends that the council consider restricting the use of bicycles and e-bikes in high-use pedestrian areas.

It suggests new restrictions could be introduced under the public safety protection orders (PSPOs) currently in place in the city.

Professor Cox, who has cycled through the city center for 50 years, argued the council should focus on the specific issue of couriers using e-bikes.

He said: “Instead of tackling this problem, they want to ban all cycling. This will impact people who use cycling as a mobility aid and older people like me.

The city center has been “totally neglected” in terms of cycling infrastructure, Professor Cox said.

Martin Price, policy manager at travel campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham, said the solution is a “network of safe, segregated cycle paths within the city centre”, as well as ensuring that flats -delivery forms “take responsibility for their couriers”.

At least nine cities and towns across the country have implemented cycling or skateboarding bans similar to the one proposed in Birmingham, The guardian reports.

Bedford has seen 738 people fined for cycling in pedestrian zones in recent months, according to Peter Blakeman, chairman of the North Bedfordshire Cycling Campaign.

Write an open letter The Bedford IndependentMr Blakeman said the result was a “significant drop in the number of residents cycling into town”.

In Grimsby, councilor Ron Shepherd asked people to “get off their bikes and walk along the relatively short pavement” if they want to avoid a fine for riding in the town centre.

Birmingham City Council said: “We are considering measures to try to reduce instances of high-speed cycling in a small area of ​​the city center where footfall is high, and where it is dangerous to cycle due to the risk of near misses and collisions.

“Before a decision is made, we seek everyone’s views through consultation on how best to handle the issue.

“This has no impact on the municipality’s commitment to prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists in ongoing developments and its transport plan.

“It may be that appropriate restrictions should be introduced in this pedestrian zone to restrict all cycles, some cycles, manage the direction of cycles to ensure a safe flow of movement, or take no action in this area.”