This morning we took a 43 minute cycle from Longbridge to the City Centre. We wanted to show what the current cycle route experience is like.
Note that it includes section on pavements, which are shared paths for cycling and walking, indicated by the circular blue signs.
Have a look for yourself. Which parts of the video do you feel safest? Which sections of the journey would you be happy for a child to cycle along?
The current lane isn’t deemed safe by government guidelines. Particularly the section between Northfield and Selly Oak, which towards the city is in the corner of the road with huge amounts of car traffic, often speeding along the A38.
We back the A38 cycle lane extension because it will create a safer environment for everyone: it will upgrade and install new pedestrian crossings, create better controlled junctions for turning right and also create a safe cycle lane using the central reservation.
With safe provision, more locals will be able to bike their short trips to amenities like school, college, work, the supermarket, high streets, parks and leisure centres.
The A38 cycleway scheme is funded by a regional grant and supplemented with funding from money generated by the Clean Air Zone and bus lane enforcement.
The section through Selly Oak is due to be upgraded this year.
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Description of route:
The video starts on the off-road River Rea Trail which goes from Rubery Lane to Longbridge. You can also use the route to carry on to NCN Route 5 towards Rubery and Bromsgrove, or go up to the Waseley Hills along the Rea Valley Route.
From Longbridge to Northfield involves riding on shared use pathway, dodging lots of street furniture and a hairy junction at Tessall Lane.
At Northfield, you have to navigate several toucan crossings to cross the bypass several times, in order to avoid some nasty junctions that are not toucan crossings. There’s lots of guardrail which restricts non-standard cycles.
From Northfield, it’s an in-carriageway advisory lane towards the city centre. On the way back, it’s partially a white line along a wide footway but has lots of tree roots.
At Selly Oak Triangle, the route turns into a separated route with dedicated traffic lights.
Passing Selly Oak Triangle into Selly Oak local centre, the route changes to a pop-up cycle lane with orange wands providing light separation. This is due to be upgraded during 2026.
Towards the end of the high street, you can turn towards the university and pick up the start of the main blue route which starts near the university’s toucan crossing.
From University towards the city centre, it is entirely on separated route.
At the city centre, part of the lane is blocked with construction works, which then pushes cyclists onto quieter streets without any separation towards the city centre core. The route officially ends at Kent Street, though National Cycle Network Route 5 carries on towards Sandwell and eventually to Anglesey.