Cars could be banned from Birmingham road tunnels

Questions were raised at the transport and sustainability scrutiny committee over the future of the A38 tunnels

Cars could be banned from Birmingham's city centre road tunnels, as one of several ideas being considered by transport bosses.

Details of the city's Transport Plan have emerged at a committee meeting, ahead of its publication next month.

But the ideas, part of a "medium to longer term" vision, would require about £1bn of investment in public transport, the council believes.

The proposals have prompted mixed reaction from councillors.

Birmingham City Council has already been given a final warning to clean up its air by 2020 and has approved plans for a clean air zone which has been delayed by government.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Mel Jones, Birmingham City Council's head of transport planning and network strategy, told its transport and sustainability scrutiny committee transforming the city centre was one of the plan's four "big moves".

She said the city centre could be divided into a series of cells, which cars could only access from the ring road and not travel through the centre.

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Phil Edwards, assistant director for transport and connectivity, said rather than "brick up" the Queensway and other tunnels, he suggested they could be used by trams, buses and even cyclists.

He added that the ideas outlined in the Transport Plan were more than "a year or two around the corner".

The ideas have already prompted criticism, including from the city's opposition Conservative group leader, Councillor Rob Alden, who accused the Labour-run council of conducting an "ongoing war on motorists".