Strict new rules for city motorists revealed as police launch major crackdown against dangerous drivers
A new police offensive against bad drivers[1] and a hard hitting road safety campaign is to be launched to help dramatically cut the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads of Birmingham and the Black Country following protests.
A maximum speed limit of 30mph on city A and B roads is also going ahead, as first revealed[2] by Birmingham Live last month. There will also be more investment and support for a scheme that encourages motorists and cyclists to submit dashcam footage to help cops catch out those driving unsafely.
The new measures were announced today in the wake of four tragic deaths – including two children – and five serious injuries on the city’s roads in May and June. A series of high level Gold Command meetings and a road safety summit were held to decide the way forward.
Now police, the West Midlands Combined Authority, Birmingham City Council[4] and road safety campaigners have announced a bunch of measures. A new crackdown, called Operation Triton, is to be launched to target hot spots where motorists regularly flout laws and put pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicle occupants at risk.
Extra police and road crime teams will be out on the streets day and night, tasked with rooting out worst drivers and those using vehicles to commit offences.
And West Midlands Police[5] will also improve and extend its third party reporting service, giving communities the power to submit dashcam and helmetcam footage to tackle anti-social driving. The service was launched to a fanfare but its response rate has since fallen away because of a lack of staff, with submissions rising and action decreasing, as we detailed here.[6] Now police say they will do more to add resources and speedily investigate and act on footage sent in.
Parents protesting near to the busy A45 Coventry Road junction between Yardley and Hay Mills over road safety following a tragic death (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)
The summit, held last month, was convened by Mayor Andy Street with local authorities and police after Adam Tranter, West Midlands cycling and walking commissioner, challenged them collectively to do more.
Protests and petitions were also mounted in accident hotspots, led by activist group Better Streets for Birmingham[7]. Communities also voiced their frustrations about the toll of misery caused by unsafe driving.
Just under 400 people a year are killed or seriously injured on the city’s roads. The total roads death toll has fallen in the past decade due to huge improvements in vehicle safety, better protection for car occupants and medical advances, but the number of vulnerable road users who are hurt has plateaued.
In a statement today Mr Tranter said: “In recent weeks, several unacceptable acts of road violence have led to needless deaths and serious injuries on our roads. The outrage felt by communities is clear and justified.” He said partners have since joined forces and worked together, including Gold Command meetings chaired by Assistant Chief Constable Mike O’Hara.
The summit, held on July 18, was chaired by Mayor Andy Street with Craig Guildford, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police[8], Cllr Liz Clements, Cabinet Member for Transport at Birmingham City Council[9], Simon Foster, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Anne Shaw, Executive Director at Transport for West Midlands and Mel Jones, the city council’s[10] head of transport planning, and Mr Tranter.
Birmingham City Council’s[11] contributions including reducing speed limits on main roads in the city to 30mph from 40mph. It will also reprogramme light-controlled road crossings to make them more responsive to pedestrians and give longer times to cross.
Local police neighbourhood teams will also be equipped and skilled up to tackle road safety in their communities. Bids for more average speed cameras[12] are also planned. West Midlands Police will work towards a significant increase in speed enforcement from 2024 in order that compliance with speed limits improves.
Birmingham City Council[13] also pledged to accelerate the A45 active travel scheme, with spades in the ground for the first phase by this winter – a rapid improvement on timescales.
POLL: Do you feel safe on Birmingham’s roads? Vote in our poll and have your say[14]
In September, Transport for West Midlands will launch a revised Road Safety Strategy with the goal of a 50% reduction in the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads network by the end of 2030. Eventually the aim is to aim for zero. The city council is also refreshing its Road Safety Strategy, due out later this year.
Responding to the measures announced, Better Streets for Birmingham said they welcomed the commitment of city leaders. They said they were delighted the third party reporting system would now be properly funded. Operation Triton was welcomed, as long as it too is sustained and properly resourced.
The group also praised plans for a road safety campaign, urging that it needed to make poor driving and parking ‘socially unacceptable.’ But they pressed for more urgency around creating safer roads, including more segregation, speed calming features and walk and bike routes.
Martin Price, co-chair, added: “We never again want to see four deaths and five serious injuries in a single month. (But) it regrettably continues to be a matter of when, not if, somebody’s life is taken as a result of thoughtless driving.”
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References
- ^ bad drivers (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ first revealed (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Cyclist tsar’s plea for urgent action after tragic Birmingham road deaths (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham City Council (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ West Midlands Police (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ we detailed here. (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Better Streets for Birmingham (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ West Midlands Police (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham City Council (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ city council’s (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham City Council’s (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ more average speed cameras (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham City Council (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Do you feel safe on Birmingham’s roads? Vote in our poll and have your say (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ I visited Birmingham community split by dangerous ‘motorway’ demanding action after schoolboy’s death (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ You can sign up for free here (data.reachplc.com)
- ^ here (www.birminghammail.co.uk)