Using new powers to keep the city moving
Cllr Liz Clements, cabinet member for transport, talks about why we want to use new powers to keep the city moving and keep people safe:
We all want our roads to be safer for everybody; for pedestrians, cyclist and motorists. This is shared space that we all use so it is important we think of each other and remember why we have rules of the roads.
Our ambition should be for less congestion on our roads, making it easier for public transport and active travel – improving pedestrian and cyclist safety as well as ensuring drivers are safe.
This is why the council is applying to the Department for Transport to be given powers to deal with moving traffic offences, which currently sit with the police – they struggle to enforce them properly alongside other priorities.
Local authorities already have powers to address dangerous and illegal parking, but this will be the first time we are able to issue fines to drivers for these ‘moving traffic offences’ – for example, driving through a ‘no entry’ sign, blocking yellow box junctions, turning left or right when not allowed or using lanes reserved for buses.
However, this is not simply about fining motorists or having power for its own sake; the fewer fines the better because that means drivers are complying with the law, being safe for all road users even or choosing to leave their car at home.
It is about keeping the city moving and keeping people safe and any money raised will go into transport projects.
And remember, these are not new restrictions but existing rules of the road that drivers should already be following, but we will have the power to enforce them and we will communicate to the public when that enforcement starts.
We’re consulting on the details and would urge people to give their views; we have had a good response so far with overwhelmingly in favour and the consultation is open until 26 December.
The first six locations we plan to use the powers are:
- Newhall Street / Great Charles Queensway (A4400) (city centre) - banned left and right turns
- Bristol Road (A38) / Priory Road (B4217) (city centre) - banned left and right turns
- Kingsbury Road / Gravelly Hill (A5127) (Erdington) - banned right turn
- Corporation Street / James Watt Queensway (B4114) (city centre) - banned left turn
- Rectory Road / Midland Drive (Sutton Coldfield) - no entry
- Boldmere Road (B4142) / Cofield Road (Sutton Coldfield) - no entry
This blog was posted on 5 December 2022.
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