DRIVERS in a major UK city will see changes to speed limits introduced along 27 roads.
The reduction in speed limits comes after the local council announced a “road safety emergency” in the area.
Birmingham is set to reduce speed limits across roads before the end of the year (stock image)[/caption]
Birmingham City Council shared plans to reduce the speed limits across the city centre to 30mph before the end of the year.
The changes will be made to 27 key roads across the city, reducing limits from 40mph to 30mph.
Birmingham Council’s recent “road safety emergency” announcement called for speed limit changes to be fast-tracked in the city.
The emergency was in response to the high number of serious and fatal collisions on the city’s roads, many of which were caused by dangerous or anti-social driving.
Campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham revealed that at least 23 people had been killed on the streets between June 2023 and July 2024.
Changes explained
Councillor Majid Mahmood had previously spoke about the council’s plans to make speed limits on “virtually all roads” a maximum of 30mph.
The latest phase of the council’s plan will see speed limits reduced along vital A-roads in the city by the end of October.
“We are also working with police on red light cameras, and we have just announced six new locations for average speed cameras across the city,” Cllr Mahmood said.
“Working with our police partners, swift and decisive action will be taken against those who break the rules of the road. Driving is a privilege, not a right.”
Birmingham Council launched a consultation on the measures, recording responses from 1,674 people.
Of those surveyed, 57% were opposed to the lowering of speed limits while only 37.9% were in favour of the scheme.
Despite this outcome, the council decided to move ahead with the plans.
As part of the restriction, any road in the city with street lighting, which is referred to as a “restricted road”, would automatically have a 30mph limit unless there is “a road sign saying something else”.
Dangerous driving
Simon Foster, Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, spoke about the changes.
“I made it clear a year ago, we needed to bring more careless, reckless, and dangerous drivers to justice, particularly those driving at excess speed,” he said.
Which roads will be affected?
- A34 Walsall Road, A34 Perry Barr Expressway, A34 Birchfield Road, A34 High Street Perry Barr from Old Walsall Road to Old Park Walk (near Bartons Arms)
- A4041 Queslett Road Perry Barr Hamble Road
- A452 Chester Road from the roundabout junction with A4041 Queslett Road East (at the city boundary), to Greenway Drive
- A5127 Lichfield Road from south of Bishops Way to the roundabout at Watford Gap Road (city boundary)
- Webster Way/Thimble End Road Sutton Walmley and Minworth From Walmley Road to Walmley Ash Road
- Ox Leys Road Sutton Walmley and Minworth Springfield Road to Fox Hollies Road
- Webster Way/Thimble End Road Sutton Walmley and Minworth From Walmley Road to Walmley Ash Road
- A38/B4148 Tyburn Road Gravelly Hill,Pype Hayes From Salford Circus to Chester Road roundabout
- B4148 Eachelhurst Road Sutton Walmley and Minworth, Pype Hayes from south of the railway bridge to the roundabout at A452 Chester Road
- A38 Kingsbury Road
- Pype Hayes, Castle Vale, Sutton Walmley and Minworth from Minworth island (A4097 Kingsbury Road), to the junction with the B4148,Tyburn Road
- A4097 Kingsbury Road Sutton Walmley and Minworth From Wiggins Hill Road to city boundary
- A452 Chester Road Pype Hayes, Castle Vale, Bromford and Hodge Hill from the new Aldi on A452 Chester Road to the Castle Bromwich interchange near Newport Road
- B4147 Newport Road Bromford and Hodge Hill from the Castle Bromwich interchange to the roundabout at Coleshill Road
- A47 Heartlands / Fort Parkway Nechells, Ward End, Pype Hayes from Spitfire island to Saltley viaduct roundabout
- A47 Nechells Parkway Nechells from the roundabout at B4132 Goodrick Way the A4540 ring road (heading into city)
- A4540 Ring Road clockwise (3 sections) Multiple wards from Dartmouth Circus to Spring Hill
- A45 Small Heath Highway Bordesley Green, Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath East, Small Heath from the junction with Bolton Road to Heybarnes Circus
- A45 Coventry Road/A45 New Coventry Road Small Heath, Tyseley and Hay Mills, South Yardley and Sheldon from Heybarnes Circus to the city boundary at Hatchford Brook
- Monmouth Drive Sutton Vesey, Sutton Trinity from Jevons Road to Somerville Road
- Weeford Road Sutton Roughley from the mini roundabout at Harvest Fields Way to the A453, Tamworth Road
- A441 Redditch Road Longbridge and West Heath, Kings Norton North, Kings Norton South from Burford Park Road to the city boundary at Longbridge Lane
- A38 Bristol Road South Rubery/Rednal, Eastbound – a section either side of the junction with Park Way, Westbound – a section either side of the junction with Park Way and extending to the city boundary at Leach Green Lane
- B4121 Wolverhampton Road South, B4121 West Boulevard, Barnes Hill, Shenley Lane Quinton, Harborne, Bartley Green, Weoley and Selly Oak, Allens Cross from the junction with Hagley Road West to the junction with Black Haynes Road
- A456 Hagley Road West Quinton from Perry Hill Lane to Bearwood Road/ Lordswood Road junction
- A41 Hockley Flyover (Soho Hill and Hockley Hill) Newtown, Soho, Jewellery Quarter, Lozells from Key Hill to Soho Hill
- Lindridge Road Sutton Roughley, Sutton Reddicap from Rectory Road to Withy Hill Road (as currently signed on site)
- Redhill Road Longbridge and West Heath, Kings Norton North from Redditch Road to the BCC Boundary (as currently signed on site)
- Walmley Ash Lane and Cottage Lane Sutton Walmley and Minworth from the junction with Walmley Ash Road to the junction with Hurst Green Road
He revealed that now the number of dangerous drivers being reprimanded has tripled.
“This is, in part, a result of the investment that both the Chief Constable and I have made, including additional police officers and staff allocated to roads policing,” he said.
He added that Birmingham police have also doubled the number of mobile speed enforcement camera vans in the city.
Meanwhile, the council explained that the difference between travelling at 30mph rather than 40mph offers “no time difference”.
The impact on timing will be minimal, with only add 10 to 30 seconds added per mile.
“Changing attitudes to speed is the most effective way to improve compliance,” the council said.
They added that they will would run a communications campaign to encourage drivers to follow the new speed restrictions once they are in place.
Failure to follow the new speed limits can result in penalties, including a minimum penalty of £100 and three licence points being issued by the police.
More on road laws
Plus, all the UK driving laws set to change before the end of the month.
And a major motorway has shuts after nine electric cars catch fire, sparking “severe delays”.
A lorry also burst into flames in the middle of the M90, resulting in closures.
And huge delays were caused on the M5 after a man drove the wrong way down the M4.
The MOT warning for anyone who’s booked a test before Christmas time.
