Birmingham's 40mph limits to be reviewed in favour of 30mph

Protests and gatherings have been staged in the city this year after several fatal collisions and people suffering serious injuries

All 40mph (64kmph) speed limits across Birmingham are to be reviewed with almost all likely to become 30mph after several deaths and serious injuries.

The review was driven by an increase in anti-social and dangerous driver behaviour and the number of casualties amongst vulnerable road users, the council said.

Hundreds of people staged protests this summer demanding more safety measures.

Campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham said it welcomed the news.

Twenty five routes will be reviewed "with the intention that almost all will be revoked, with these becoming 30mph", the council said.

The Quinton Expressway and A38 (M) Aston Expressway are not part of the plan.

Formal consultation on the proposed reductions, highlighted in blue, will take place in late 2023 or early 2024, the council said

Roads to be reviewed include sections of the A34 at Perry Barr, the A5127 Lichfield Road and the A38/B4148 Tyburn Road at Gravelly Hill.

Part of the A45 Coventry Road at Tyseley and south Yardley is also to be looked after the death of 12-year-old Azaan Khan. He was hit by a car while crossing the road on his bike.

Protests were held at the spot he was killed and also in Kings Heath where a boy and woman were seriously injured on a pedestrian crossing.

Mat MacDonald, from Better Streets for Birmingham, said he was delighted with the announcement

Formal consultation will take place later this year or early next year.

No new enforcement cameras will be installed on the roads initially due to time and funding limitations, the council said, but any existing cameras would be recalibrated to reflect the reduced speed limit.

"In future, it is expected that many of the routes will benefit from enhanced enforcement, which will ensure that driver compliance with any revised speed limits is high," a spokesperson said.

Funding will come from the city's Clean Air Zone's (CAZ) surplus income.

Mat MacDonald, co-chair of Better Streets for Birmingham, said they were delighted with the announcement and had been pushing for it to happen, adding that reducing drivers' speed by 10mph would have an impact on the number of collisions that cause serious injury and death.

"This is about preventing deaths and serious injuries and people are living in fear of roads where they live" he said.