Transforming our streets to reduce road harm

Each year in Birmingham, approximately 22 people are killed and 400 people suffer serious injuries from Road Traffic Collisions, with little change over the last decade.

Consultation on the draft strategy revealed that citizens were most concerned about dangerous driving including speeding, using a mobile phone and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and about inconsiderate, illegal and dangerous parking.

The strategy going to cabinet renews and reinforces the council’s commitment to Vision Zero – the campaign to eliminate deaths and serious injury on our roads.

Supported by the Birmingham Transport Plan, the strategy has people at its heart, aiming to reduce the speed and number of motor vehicles on local streets, instead creating safer spaces to walk and cycle. It uses the internationally recognised Healthy Streets approach, designing streets on a human scale, giving priority to people and their needs first, rather than private vehicles.

This follows in the footsteps of other major cities around the world who have been successful in reducing road harm risk using this approach.

The council is working with partners at West Midlands Police and West Midlands Combined Authority to take a range of actions to reduce the risk of road harm:

• Tackling illegal and irresponsible parking, especially measures to stop footway parking and reclaim walkable space
• Reducing the speed limit from 40 to 30mph on most major roads
• Increasing camera enforcement on the busiest A and B roads
• Reducing the speed limit to 20mph in residential areas
• Using Bikeability funding to educate children on how to enjoy cycling safely

Councillor Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “Most serious road collisions are caused by driver behaviour and driver error. We need to see the number of serious and fatal collisions drop, but it has sadly remained fairly static over the last few years. This is why we have declared a road safety emergency.

“Whilst enforcement will go some way to tackle poor driver behaviour, and we are targeting known problem areas, we must also reduce the volume of vehicles using Birmingham’s local streets.

“We need to redesign streets to be more hospitable to people and reclaim them as public spaces where everyone feels welcome, by reducing the speed and volume of vehicles using them.

“We need to use the resources we have more efficiently, which means bigger, area-wide interventions in areas with the highest risk of road harm, rather than small scale road safety schemes delivered on a street-by-street basis.

“We have learned a lot about how changing priorities can really transform where people live for the better. Every resident deserves to live in a safe, attractive community. We have a long way to go, but this approach of gradually reducing traffic and vehicle speeds will change Birmingham for the better. I am excited for the future of our city.”

Mat MacDonald, West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner, said:

“This marks an important milestone in the vital journey we must take towards safer streets for our region. 

“Evidence based speed limits, proper protections for pedestrians and restructuring roads to ensure car free travel is the most convenient way to get around will transform this city. It will bust congestion, allow neighbourhoods to flourish and finally start reducing the senseless tragedies that cause so much pain on Birmingham’s roads.

“Tackling such preventable loss and trauma is a critical priority for Mayor Parker, as set out in the road safety emergency which he declared alongside the council leadership, West Midlands Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner. 

“This strategy rises to the challenge set out in the declaration, and the city council will be supported by us to ensure that it is delivered with an urgency to match.”