Road safety campaigners to stage protest in Birmingham city centre
A demonstration is being planned outside Council House today
Last updated 31st Jan 2024
Calls to improve road safety across Birmingham will be heard in the city centre today.
Local campaign group 'Better Streets for Birmingham' are calling for more to be done to prevent further road deaths in Birmingham.
It follows two pedestrians being hit and killed in two separate incidents, in Aston and Harborne, in the last month.
Last week, West Midlands Police confirmed 96-year-old actress Charmian Abrahams died after being struck by a delivery van on Lordswood Road, Harborne.
Earlier on 21 December, a woman in her 40s was taken to hospital after being hit by a car on Witton Lane, Aston. Police confirmed she sadly died in hospital from her injuries.
The group's spokesperson, Matt McDonald, said enough is enough:
"It's actually part of the normal statistical trend for this city that two people should die in a month. If you look at it over a year, somebody dies every fortnight on our streets and we are here today to say that is just completely unacceptable."
A demonstration is being planned from midday, outside the entrance to University College Birmingham, on Great Charles Street Queensway, behind the Birmingham Council House.
The group is demanding a joined approach by city leaders, focused on finding and implementing ways to improve road safety in the city.
Matt McDonald added:
"What we want is almost like a task force whose objective is to achieve a situation where nobody dies on our streets. We want that process and we want to be able to regularly see improvements and steps being taken towards that goal.
"No death on our roads is acceptable.
"There are places in the world where the streets are designed and the systems are arranged in such a way, that nobody is killed or seriously injured in collisions on the streets. There's no reason why we can't achieve the same thing in Birmingham."
Free Radio has approached Birmingham City Council for a comment.
Councillor Liz Clements, cabinet member for transport at Birmingham City Council, said:
"I agree with Better Streets for Birmingham that the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads is unacceptable and this needs to change.
"That is why earlier this month, Birmingham City Council launched a consultation on a new Road Harm Reduction Strategy aimed at tackling this serious issue.
"The strategy, in line with the Birmingham Transport Plan, renews and reinforces the council’s commitment to Vision Zero – an approach that aims to eliminate deaths and serious injury through reducing the number and speed of motor vehicles on local streets, instead creating safer spaces to walk and cycle.
"The consultation runs until 5 April 2024 and I would urge citizens to take part in this consultation and offer their support.”
Anyone can submit their views via the council's website.