Our response to the 30mph speed limit proposals

Filed under: Consultation

This article is our consultation response that proposes reducing the speed limit on Birmingham’s 40mph roads to 30mph. If you agree with this, you can submit your response on the Birmingham Be Heard website before the 19 November 2023 and link to this page.

We are strongly in favour of Birmingham City Council’s proposal to reduce 25 outlier 40mph roads to 30mph. The proposed measures will lead to lower speeds on our city’s streets through a consistent city-wide maximum speed limit and ultimately save lives.

We believe this is a necessary and vital step towards creating a safer environment for all road users in Birmingham.

Aston Expressway A38(M) is one of the exceptions identified: there is a sharp drop in speed limit when entering the city centre on the southbound carriageway. The speed limit changes from 50mph to 30mph. We encourage the Council to consider a short buffer zone of 40mph to aid the transition to 30mph.

We would like to see a public information campaign and temporary “new 30mph speed limit in force” signage to educate drivers about the changes.

Would it be possible for Birmingham City Council to work with online mapping providers to ensure these changes are reflected in sat-nav apps? There are still areas of the city, where the speed limit changed years ago, that show incorrectly on apps and often drivers rely on these in the absence of signage despite the street lighting 30mph precedent.

We welcome the acknowledgment that new speed limits will need enforcement to ensure compliance. It is, however, essential that the proposal is quickly followed with a city-wide strategy, funding and delivery plan for speed enforcement. We therefore seek clarification and reassurance that Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Police and Transport for West Midlands are making progress on their August 2023 pledge to “[work] together to increase the number of average speed cameras across the network to tackle speeding on our most dangerous roads.”

Better Streets for Birmingham

Better Streets for Birmingham is a community group which campaigns for changes to our travel and planning infrastructure to improve the sustainability, efficiency and safety of our streets. We believe that through connecting Birmingham to reduce car dependency, we will make it a more pleasant place to work, live and play.