PCC outlines 16-point Birmingham road death plan as he says ‘do what it takes’

Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has outlined a 16-point plan to 'reduce road deaths' in Birmingham^[1] and the wider West Midlands. Mr Foster vowed to do everything possible to reduce the number of road tragedies in the future.

His commitment was made after three people were tragically killed on the region's roads in just five days. The first tragedy saw a male pedestrian killed when he was hit by a car while at a bus stop in Hockley's Great Hampton Street^[2] on Sunday, July 21.

Another man, dad Aiden Perris, died after being struck by a car while sitting outside a bar in Sutton Coldfield's Boldmere Road on July 25. An 18-year-old also died, and two others were injured, in a crash on the A45 Coventry Road in Yardley^[3] on July 26.

Following the tragedies, Mr Foster said he was "committed" to "constant and unremitting action" to stop road deaths. He said he would work with relevant partners including the council and road safety campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham (BSfB).

In an open letter issued today to BSfB chair Matt MacDonald, Mr Foster outlined his 16-point plan to 'reduce road deaths'. He said the plan included action he had already taken and/or will continue to take.

Simon Foster's 16-point action plan to 'reduce road deaths' in his own words

• Holding West Midlands Police to account to prevent, tackle and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour on our roads, including via Operation Triton

• Rebuilding community policing because we need preventative, proactive and visible policing - including enforcement and community Speed Watch schemes

• Preparing a Police and Crime Plan 2024-2030 that ensures delivering road safety is a top priority

• Investing in and expanding the West Midlands Police Road Harm Prevention Team and Road Crime and Traffic Teams

• Working with WMP and local authorities to finalise a Joint Working Agreement, to support the roll out of average speed enforcement cameras and increasing the capacity for enforcement

• Funding and supporting action to prevent and tackle anti-social and dangerous street racing - including raising awareness and education

• Launching the refreshed West Midlands Road Safety Strategy in 2023 and delivering the West Midlands Road Safety Action Plan to be launched in 2024

• Supporting police operations to prevent and take enforcement action against dangerous, speeding, drink and drug driving use of digital devices, failure to wear seat belts, uninsured drivers and implement MARSO, Close Pass and Zig Zag operations

• Campaigning for government and calling on all our elected representatives in the West Midlands to support my campaign, to allow the West Midlands to retain revenue from fixed penalty fines to invest in road safety

• Securing safer streets funding for investment in three additional Mobile Camera Enforcement Vans and 16 additional speed guns for community speed watch schemes

• Securing safer streets funding to increase the capacity for third party dash cam reporting, by allocating five additional police staff, increasing reporting and improving enforcement and positive outcomes

• Working with local authorities to take on responsibility for moving road traffic contraventions and to ensure a region-wide approach

• Campaigning to replace our 800 missing police officers and 500 missing PCSOs and to implement fair funding for West Midlands Police that adversely impacts the ability of West Midlands Police to prevent and tackle crime and ASB and to keep our roads safe

• Investing in victim support services in the West Midlands, including for victims of road traffic collisions, and supporting the UK’s first dedicated Family Liaison Unit and a Road Collision Project to ensure that the rights and welfare of victims are safeguarded

• Committing to Vision Zero to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by at least 50 per cent by 2030 and for all deaths and serious injuries to be eliminated from the region by 2041

• Meeting with representatives of and attending Better Streets for Streets for Birmingham campaign events and working with Road Peace to highlight the need to prioritise the rights and welfare of victims

What has Better Streets for Birmingham said?

In a statement issued yesterday, the campaign group said it welcomed renewed commitments from city leaders and authorities to tackle the declared road safety emergency. But campaigners said action was needed as admitting the problem alone was the "easy part".

A spokesperson for BSfB wrote on social media platform X: "We’ve been here before. Last year, following another spate of deaths on our roads, we were promised a raft of measures such as reduced speed limits, increased average speed enforcement cameras none of which have been delivered.

"We need a clear plan and a concrete timetable for the urgent changes our roads require. We will continue to hold our leaders accountable to ensure no more opportunities for change are missed.

⁠"Only through action and collaboration will we start to tackle road safety. This involves every single person that contributes to enforcement and who make changes to our streets."

References

1. ^{^} Birmingham (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^{^} killed when he was hit by a car while at a bus stop in Hockley's Great Hampton Street (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^{^} Yardley (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
4. ^{^} Heart breaking tribute to dad killed in Boldmere as son says 'don't be sad you don't get to see us' (www.birminghammail.co.uk)