Paradise Public Transport Improvement Scheme

Overview

As we work towards a low-carbon, clean air recovery from COVID-19, we need to make sure that public transport is constantly improving to make journeys quicker, easier and more reliable.

The Proposal

Paradise Circus, renamed Lyon Queensway, closed in September 2018 for the construction of Metro and the Paradise redevelopment. We now plan to reopen the road for buses, trams, taxis (black cabs) and cycles and to create a new access road between the two slip roads over the A38 tunnel entrance.

This will mean:

• All traffic will continue to be able to use the tunnel beneath the Paradise development for through trips on the A38.
• Local traffic will be able to use the A38 (from the south) to access Holliday Street, buildings in the Paradise development, Town Hall and Swallow Street.
• Local traffic will be able to use the A38 (from the north) to access buildings in the north part of the Paradise development.
• Local traffic will be able to use the Middleway (B4135 Summer Hill Road) to access Cambridge Street and Paradise car park.
• Buses and taxis will be able to use Lyon Queensway, accessed from the A38, Centenary Square (Broad Street),Sand Pits/Parade and Brunel Street.
• West Midlands Metro trams will continue to cross Lyon Queensway between the Town Hall and Library stops.
• Cyclists will be able to use Lyon Queensway but will be restricted in some places where it would not be safe for them to cross tram tracks.

The scheme will be delivered before Dec 2021 when the tram to Edgbaston starts operating passenger service.

Download plan (opens in new browser tab).

Why are we proposing this?

As a council, we are committed to supporting the de-carbonisation of transport, reducing air pollution and improving travel and transport across the city. For this to become a reality, active travel – walking and cycling – must be the first choice for short journeys, with a fully integrated, high quality public transport system the go-to choice for longer trips.

This proposal will enhance bus priority through the city centre, supporting the wider delivery of cross-city bus routes, and allow Metro services to continue crossing Lyon Queensway without delays.

Transforming the city centre forms a big part of this and is one of the big moves outlined in the draft Birmingham Transport Plan (January 2020) and included fundamental changes to how the city centre is accessed. The proposed changes to the use of Lyon Queensway, formerly Paradise Circus, ties in and support these plans including city centre segments which enhances movements in the city centre core for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.

This Paradise development area is inside Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (charges for the most polluting vehicles begin on 1 June 2021). This scheme also aims to reduce the number of vehicles in the area, by restricting some routes and improving access by public transport, improving air quality and the health of Birmingham citizens. Fewer cars and more people travelling by bus, tram or train means less congestion and better air quality for everybody.