How a Belgian port city inspired Birmingham's car-free ambitions

Ghent's transformation produced shorter journeys, cleaner air and a cycling explosion

Birmingham - once, proudly, the UK's "motorway city" - has announced plans to entice people out of cars and on to bikes and buses. If officials get their way, the city will be split into zones, and, rather than driving direct, motorists will have to use the ring road for all zone-to-zone journeys.

Those travelling by foot and bicycle in the new Brum won't be inconvenienced: their journeys will be simple and - with fewer cars - safer. With cars out of the way, bus journeys will become swifter and more reliable.