THIS is the senior Birmingham councillor who wants you to travel by bus.
But while transport chief Coun Martin Mullaney criticises people for not using public transport, he chooses to travel on a scooter.
Coun Mullaney (Lib Dem, Moseley & Kings Heath) is chairman of the transportation scrutiny committee which last week published an outspoken report claiming that wealthy middle-class people were too snobbish to use the city's buses.
The report recommended making car journeys into Birmingham "significantly less attractive" by imposing a congestion charge, similar to the one in London.
Coun Mullaney, aged 40, from Moseley, insists there is nothing hypocritical about urging people to use the buses while he refuses to do so.
He says the daily journey to the Council House takes just 15 minutes on his 1967 Lambretta scooter, but can take more than three times as long on the No 50 Travel West Midlands service.
He said: "I would use the 50 a lot more if it wasn't stuck in traffic jams.
"If there were more bus priority measures, and I knew I would get to Birmingham city centre quickly, I would definitely use the bus. People won't use the buses because they are unreliable. We as a council have got to do something about this."
His views are supported by Travel West Midlands which is blaming falling bus use on the length of time taken by services to crawl through Birmingham's congested streets.
Coun Mullaney recently berated his colleagues for failing to travel by bus, suggesting that those who refused to use the bus to get to the next council meeting should donate £10 to charity.
He is campaigning for more bus lanes and other priority measures, including bus express routes.
"Birmingham is seen as anti-bus, and some of the things we have done have added to that perception," he added.
