About the scheme
Places for People is about reducing the amount of traffic in residential neighbourhoods, so that it is nicer to be outside and safer for:
- people to walk and cycle
- children to play
- neighbours to chat
In many parts of Birmingham, residents find that streets outside their homes are busy with traffic, particularly when people are cutting through to avoid congestion on main roads. When traffic is reduced, the neighbourhood becomes quieter, streets are safer, and the air is cleaner.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, we had a chance to experience what it can feel like when our roads are much quieter.
Through the Emergency Birmingham Transport Plan and money from the government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund, we can introduce schemes to keep these benefits and create Low Traffic Neighbourhoods across Birmingham.
In phase one, we delivered:
- two low-traffic neighbourhood pilots in Kings Heath and Lozells
- some early demonstration projects to address traffic problems on identified streets in Bournville, Castle Vale and Moseley
These were introduced as temporary trial measures. We now have funding to make improvements, expand the schemes, and make them permanent.
How the scheme works
Places for People makes it harder or impossible to drive through an area, whilst residents can continue to drive onto their street, have visitors, get deliveries, etc.
Low traffic neighbourhoods are groups of residential streets where through trips by motor vehicles is discouraged or removed. The area is bordered by main or 'distributor' roads where non-local traffic should be.
There are many ways that through traffic can be discouraged. The main one is to use a 'modal filter' which prevents motor vehicles from driving through a section of road, but still allows people to walk or cycle through. This is done by placing a barrier at strategic points around the neighbourhood. The barrier could be bollards, planters or gates.
It is important to consider other measures to reduce traffic and improve air quality outside the homes of people living on main roads too, as well as making these roads safer to cross or cycle along.
Page last updated: 15 May 2026
