Parties divided on proposed Birmingham speed limit cuts

The measures have been proposed after protests about road deaths and serious injuries

Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrat politicians are divided over the need for the widespread introduction of reduced speed limits.

Birmingham City Council is considering reducing the limit in some 40mph zones to 30mph following pressure from road safety campaigners.

Labour has supported the idea, but the Conservatives have said they oppose blanket limits.

The Lib Dems have questioned whether the limits can be enforced.

There have been protests in the city over the number of people killed and injured in road collisions and a council review is considering whether to lower the speed limit to 30mph on 25 routes.

Labour's Gareth Snell said it was important to listen to local road safety concerns

Speaking on the BBC's Politics Midlands programme Gareth Snell, Labour's candidate for Stoke-on-Trent Central at the next general election, said: "This is the council responding to genuine concerns from local residents."

He said it was "incumbent" on authorities to listen to those concerns.

Wales recently reduced the speed limit in all 30mph areas to 20mph, but Mr Snell said there was no suggestion of a similar blanket lowering of the speed limit across Birmingham.

Conservative Marc Bayliss said he opposed blanket speed limit reductions

The Conservatives have opposed the idea of a widespread speed reduction.

Earlier this week Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "Clearly you should look at specific local road conditions."

He said it was down to local authorities to decide on these cases, but added: "Blanket speed limits changes I don't think are sensible."

Fellow Conservative Marc Bayliss, the West Mercia Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, said the Welsh move had been "against the spirit of what people in Wales want" but said he supported speed limit reductions where they were needed.

Lib Dem Manuela Perteghella said speed limit enforcement was important

Manuela Perteghella, the Lib Dem candidate for Stratford-on-Avon at the next election, told the Politics Midlands programme she knew of towns and villages "blighted by speeding traffic".

She said people there were campaigning for all sorts of road safety measures, including speed reduction schemes.

But she added: "You need enforcement and I know the Liberal Democrat group on Birmingham City Council is campaigning to have effective enforcement."