Road safety measures planned for accident hotspot near Birmingham city centre
Road safety measures including a 20mph speed limit and bus gate are being proposed for an accident hotspot near Birmingham city centre.
The city council has chosen Vauxhall and Duddeston for “safety improvements” amid high volumes of traffic; pavement parking issues and road traffic collisions in the area.
According to the Labour-run authority, 58 such collisions have occurred in the past three years, with 24 of these happening on the B4132, which includes Vauxhall Road, Melvina Road and Great Francis Street.
This is a route which is used by around 18,000 vehicles a day.
“The high traffic volumes present safety risks for the community, particularly for students attending the three schools located along this route,” the council has said.
“High parking demand in the area has also led to widespread pavement parking, with up to 41 per cent of all parked vehicles obstructing the pavement for people walking and wheeling.”
Several measures, including traffic management improvements, have therefore been proposed for the area. They include:
A 20mph speed limit on Vauxhall Road between Barrack Street and Duddeston Manor Road, outside of BOA Digital Academy
A modal filter (such as a bollard or planter) on Francis Street at the junction with Duddeston Manor Road, to stop cars from driving through, while still allowing walking, wheeling and cycling
A bus gate on Vauxhall Road between Vauxhall Grove and Duddeston Manor Road, with access for buses, cyclists, taxis and emergency vehicles only
The creation of a Local Travel Point (offering a range of transport options and community services in one place, such as cycle/e-scooter hire and storage), located outside the shops on B4132 Great Francis Street
A new zebra crossing point (for people walking only) on Great Francis Street to provide better access to Duddeston Train Station
New raised crossings (elevated crossings designed to slow down traffic) at Barrack Street, Erskine Street, Hilden Road, Wardlow Road and Little Hall Road
Three controlled parking zones, which could include residents’ permit parking and pavement parking restrictions
This project is part of Birmingham Council’s broader transport plan, which says “fundamental changes” are needed to the city’s transport network to tackle the climate emergency.
“Private cars will never be able to match the capacity of mass public transport for getting people to where they want to go,” the plan says.
“We need to work with our partners to secure investment and make Birmingham a place where walking, cycling and using public transport are the best and preferred modes of travel for most people.
“Even then, we must all fundamentally change our travel habits, and reduce the overall amount we travel by car.”
You can find the public consultation page of the proposals on the Birmingham Be Heard website.
