Angry Brummies have blasted their bankrupt council for wasting £10 million on 'cycle highway' which causes traffic chaos and is wider than a BUS LANE.<br /><br />The multi-million pound cycle lane was opened in 2019 but motorists say has been barely used and is a prime example of the authority's financial incompetence. <br /><br />Residents also pointed out the council also spent £16 million moving a bus depot 300 metres for the Commonwealth Games and it was 'no surprise' it had gone bankrupt.<br /><br />On Tuesday (5/9) the Labour-run council issued a section 114 notice, meaning it cannot meet its financial liabilities amid an outstanding £760m of equal pay claims.<br /><br />The council, which is Europe’s largest local authority, confirmed all but essential new spending must stop immediately.<br /><br />Locals have since highlighted a number of examples of shocking wastes of money which has contributed to town hall bosses finding themselves in the perilous position.<br /><br />They include a 2.5 mile "cycle highway" along the A34 - one of the busiest commuter routes into the city - which has been barely used by cyclists since opening four years ago. <br /><br />Road users say the lane, between the city centre and Perry Barr, causes complete gridlock at rush hour and forces the bus lane farther into the road.<br /><br />It means parts of the road have been left with just one lane for cars - while in other sections the cycle lane slices into the pavement. <br /><br />Photographs taken yesterday (Wed) shows bumper-to-bumper cars with the lane sitting empty and one cyclist even ignoring it to ride down the main road instead. <br /> <br />Residents say the £9.85 million route only brought commuter chaos in an already over-congested city and cyclists continue to ride along the pavement or road.<br /><br />Birmingham City Council also forked out £16million moving a National Express bus depot just 300 metres in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. <br /><br />The original facility was to make way for an athletes' village - which never even materialised and was turned instead into affordable housing. <br /><br />The cost was even highlighted at the time in the House of Commons by Conservative MP Gary Sambrook, who represents Birmingham Northfield.<br /><br />He said in January 2021: "In Birmingham, the city council originally budgeted £2 million to move a bus depot. <br /><br />"That escalated to £16 million, which local people are going to have to pay, all to achieve a move down the road of only 300 metres. <br /><br />"Is that not just a perfect example of Labour incompetence in local government?"<br /><br />It also emerged the council ignored advice not to host the Commonwealth Games despite serious financial difficulties.<br /><br />Birmingham resident Emily Hill, 45, a mum-of-three and sales advisor, said: " I live in Perry Barr where in the last few years there has been some shocking wastes of cash.<br /><br />"It is not surprise the council find themselves in this position having splashed £10 million on a cycle lane nobody uses and £16 million on moving a bus depot.<br /><br />"The cycle lane is only a couple of miles long and reduces traffic to a single lane, causing absolute gridlock. It was a ridiculous decision. <br /><br />"Cyclists use the main road or pavement anyway, it has made no difference at all. If anything it has made traffic worse. <br /><br />"The bus depot was moved just down the road for the athletes' village which wasn't finished in time either. Surely people saw this news coming. <br /><br />"It's been one expensive waste after another and I cannot believe nobody has stepped in at some point and said 'I think this is a bad idea'. <br /><br />"Then there's the cost of hosting the Commonwealth Games itself which looks like the final nail in the coffin. <br /><br />"We have seen no legacy of the games and now I expect the area will just be left to rot." <br /><br />Dad-of-one Paul Turner, 36, an electrician from Kingstanding, Birmingham, added: "The people of this city have seen this coming for a while so it's no surprise really. <br /><br />"Their financial difficulties have been well publicised for a long time yet we went ahead and hosted the games even when they were warned not to. <br /><br />"That cycle lane is a prime example of how out of touch these people are with reality and £16 million moving a bus depot that didn't need moving is just farcical.<br /><br />"It's no wonder they got into such a mess and its the people of the this city who will now probably suffer as a result of their financial incompetence."
