THE city's transport chief has hit back at criticisms he is anti-cycling saying 'I’m not going to bring this city to a standstill'.

Worcestershire County Councillor Alan Amos says he does want to get cars off the road but claims buses rather than bikes are the way forward.

But cycling activists, like Bike Worcester, have accused transport bosses of running a 'business as usual' approach despite both the city and council councils declaring a climate emergency.

And the group say that although the council adopted a travel plan that aims to reduce short car trips in Worcester in 2017, journeys under three miles are at the highest they have been in history and the city's cycling infrastructure remains poor.

But councillor Amos, cabinet member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport, insists that the council's policy must remain "pro-choice."

He said: "I'm not in the business of forcing people to do what they don't want to do and adding to existing problems.

"There are those who are anti-car and demonise drivers, but they've got to bear in mind that the majority of those who are actually driving are doing something that is essential, like going to work, or doing their weekly shop.

"My job is to facilitate that, and I've made myself clear time and time again that we support all forms of transport to the detriment of none. 

"So, I'm not going to pass a law that will savagely increase congestion, I'm not going to bring this city to a standstill.

"For those reasons we have to maximise the use of our road capacity in Worcester.

"Worcester is a very tightly drawn city, and we've spent a lot of money, millions in fact, improving junctions, traffic lights, and keeping the traffic going, because stationary traffic is more polluting than moving traffic."

Cllr Amos said the council was resurrecting its passenger transport strategy for buses after it had been put on hold by Covid-19.

He said: "We want to get as many cars off the road as possible, it would make my job a lot easier, and the main alternative is buses. 

"Come October we are going to have a bus improvement programme, and we are also going to have an enhanced control over the routes, quality of the service, and ticketing.

"But to give the 13-17% of people who take the bus a better journey, they need free-flowing traffic and road capacity as well, so it is no good being anti-car and anti-road when the main alternative is buses."

Cyclists have called for the introduction of cycle lanes and cite their success in other UK and European cities - and they have been backed up by central government which has a policy of promoting more cycling infrastructure.

A cycling tool recommended by the Department for Transport identified New Road, City Walls Road, Croft Road, and Sidbury in Worcester as having space for cycle lanes.

A picture of the tool's analysis of Worcester can be seen below.

Worcester News:

But Cllr Amos insists there isn't the space in Worcester.

He said: "My answer is this, look at the main arterial route into Worcester, which is the A44, or the others like Newtown Road or Tolladine Road, where are you going to get a cycle lane on any of those roads?

"It sounds good, but it is ill-thought out. The new Southern Link Road that we're improving has cycle lanes all over, and all the bridges are cycle friendly. 

"Where we are building new roads cycling provision is already included and factored in. 

"I will happily consider people's proposals, but with such a small percentage of commuters travelling to work by bike, is anyone seriously suggesting that we take away lanes of traffic? There would be chaos.

"Making driving frustrating for people will not force them to get out of their cars and get on a bike, so I have to live in reality."

Danny Brothwell, Chair of Bike Worcester, said: "The idea that there is no space is a myth which is used as a barrier to change.

"There are other old cities in the UK that have redesigned space to enable and encourage active travel. There’s nothing special about Worcester.

"I recently visited Carlisle, a city with many similarities to Worcester, which has a network of segregated cycle lanes in the city centre.

"What’s missing is political will, vision and leadership."

He added: "With regard to transport it seems to be businesses as usual, more roads, widening roads, or redesigning roads to enable cars to travel with fewer interruptions.

"It’s a shame to watch the county fall further behind more forward-thinking authorities.

"If nothing else changes, electric vehicles will have zero impact on congestion. With more housing it will get worse."