HS2 Cycleway West Midlands

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is planning a Birmingham to Coventry cycleway alongside HS2.

It will run over a distance of 21 miles, and use haul roads and maintenance tracks alongside the railway. Otherwise they would be dismantled by HS2 Ltd.

The news is based on a letter from Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street to HS2 Ltd, seen by The Guardian.

The Mayor has the backing of the local authorities along the route. He also has a plan to fund the cycleway.

Previous Plans to Create Paths Alongside HS2

The possibility of using HS2’s access roads as walking and cycling paths was raised in April 2022. The rail minister at the time asked HS2 to look into re-purposing them.

Back then it was suggested that there would be a quality design, with 3m cycle paths and separate 2.5m footpaths. The total length of paths between London and Manchester was estimated to be 320km.

The project being discussed now is only a fraction of the whole, but the Mayor is very much in favour of it.

Comments by Mayor Andy Street

Mayor Andy Street commented on the proposed Birmingham-Coventry HS2 cycleway.

‘I’m determined to maximise HS2’s benefits for the region, and a high-quality active travel route, enabled by HS2 construction and supported by local authorities, is a no-brainer for so many reasons.

This is an opportunity to connect cities like Birmingham and Coventry but also improve local and rural connectivity in Solihull and Warwickshire. The proposed route runs near growth zones in east Birmingham and Solihull, as well as the investment zone in Birmingham’s knowledge quarter, meaning we can use this infrastructure to provide access to the high-quality green jobs of the future.

Frankly, it helps our health and wellbeing agendas, our net zero targets and our growth targets. When HS2 Ltd made clear what was possible if the region got on board it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up’.

mayor andy street

Benefit Cost Ratio

HS2 itself has a very low Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), but the cycleways would offer up to five times greater returns.

In Birmingham, the BCR of the cycleway would be between 4.7 and 14.8, meaning up to £14.80 of economic benefits for every £1 spent. The BCR in Kenilworth and Coventry would be 2.44 to 7.05.

These figures come from an analysis commissioned by HS2 Ltd in 2014.

Funding

Funding for the cycleway would come partly from the City Region Sustainable Transport settlement for the West Midlands.

Other sources would include contributions from local authorities, developer and HS2 levies, and levelling up funding.

West Midlands Cycling and Walking Commissioner Adam Tranter said:

‘When they build new major infrastructure in countries like the Netherlands they always look at how they can improve active travel, and the UK should be no different.

Ever since the first report showing an HS2 cycle route was possible I’ve been keen to make this a reality. I’m pleased everyone has come together to be clear this is something we want to happen’.

adam tranter

Other Locations

HS2 haul roads could be repurposed at twenty other locations between London and Birmingham.