New Local Improvement Budget drives new road safety schemes across Birmingham

Birmingham City Council is announcing the first set of transport schemes to be developed from its new Local Improvement Budget fund.

Responding to local safety concerns, the first work funded from the new budget will be closing off the pedestrian subway near Lily Road and the Swan Centre, Yardley.

This highway improvement will be followed by others which local residents and councillors have raised as matters of safety concern:

Vehicle activated speed signs in 20 wards across the city to address local speeding concerns.

Safer routes and road safety measures for Chilcote Primary School in Hall Green.

Traffic calming scheme on Cranes Park Road in Sheldon.

Traffic calming scheme on Billesley Lane in Moseley.

Closing off the pedestrian subway near to Lily Road in Yardley to address local personal safety concerns.

Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Waseem Zaffar said:

Since the Local Improvement Budget was created, in December 2021, residents’ road safety concerns have been reviewed together with proposals put forward by local councillors. I am pleased to announce that these key local road safety and safer routes schemes will begin development this year.

Birmingham Yardley MP, Jess Phillips added:

I am delighted to see this investment secured to improve the safety of residents in our area because I have been campaigning with victims and residents to have this unsafe underpass closed following an assault in 2020. It is very welcome to see the council listen to and deliver for local people.

Councillor Zaffar and Jess Phillips were joined by Beth Farrington, a local resident who campaigned for the closure of the underpass.

Designed to tackle minor transport issues, identified at ward level, the Local Improvement Budget will enable the council to deliver transport and highways capital improvement schemes with a total of £1m of capital funding.

By improving road safety, Birmingham City Council aims to increase the health and mobility of its residents and prioritise active travel in accordance with the Birmingham Transport Plan.