It’s almost has become like clockwork, and I mean it in the most unfortunate and tragic way — cyclists have been dying for far too long on Birmingham’s roads and streets. Over the last few years, we’ve reported multiple such instances and in response, cyclists, activists, and campaign groups coming together to fight for safety and call on the council for some action to keep themselves and their peers alive.
Last year in June, hundreds of people came together to protest the increasingly dangerous state of roads in Birmingham, with things coming to a head after seven hit-and-runs, with four cyclists, including a 12-year-old boy, “killed by motorists” in just over three weeks.
The protest was marked by emotionally charged people chanting “Shame on you” at drivers overtaking dangerously, speeding, changing lanes — all behaviour that lead to deaths on streets, Paul Manzotti from Better Streets for Birmingham told road.cc.
Now, after three cyclists were killed in collisions last month, taking the tally of people killed this year to 10 and those seriously injured in collisions to 23, Better Streets for Birmingham have written an open letter urging city and regional leaders to declare a state of emergency for road safety in Birmingham, with the group holding its eleventh demonstration to turn the tide on reckless driving tomorrow.
The group pointed out that despite the Council Leader committing to reduce speed limits on 40mph roads and above to 30mph and to triple the number of speed cameras, neither of these have been implemented yet.
Mat MacDonald, Chair of Better Streets for Birmingham said: “Momentum has tailed off quickly. Progress on rolling out average speed enforcement cameras has run aground, many roads are still above 30mph, and Neighbourhood Policing Team participation in Operation Triton has been inadequate.”
> Local reporter asks if motorists care that cyclists are dying on roads at “alarming rate” – and readers respond by claiming cyclists “think they own the road then suffer the consequences” amid calls for cycling licences, insurance, and mandatory helmets
The active travel and road safety campaigners had sent their first open letter in June last year, and they said that since the first letter, at least 23 people have been killed and 34 seriously injured on the city’s roads.
In their most recent letter, they have laid out 10 actions for the city and region’s leaders to tackle road safety, which besides declaring a state of emergency, include demands to immediately recruit the next Cycling and Walking Commissioner following Adam Tranter’s resignation in May, as well as suspending the licences of those arrested for dangerous driving offences to ensure that they do not endanger other road users whilst awaiting trial.
> "This will cost lives": Safety fears as key active travel role axed on same day cycling and walking commissioner resigns
The letter, shared with road.cc, reads: “When a child dies in such a way on our streets, we have failed as a society. And while we can never bring Mayar back, or fill the void that now sits at the heart of her traumatised family, we have a duty to learn from this failure and to ensure we do everything possible to prevent such a senseless loss.
“Road safety is a statutory duty and basic human need, not a nice-to-have. Safe travel and welcoming streets form the bedrock of any thriving area, and our region’s success depends on having them.
“The situation as it stands continues to be untenable. If we don’t take urgent and sustained action, more people will be killed and seriously injured.”
Last week, Better Streets for Birmingham held two demonstrations, including a cycling solidarity ride to remember people recently killed in Highgate and Edgbaston.
Four-year-old Mayar Yahia was killed on Sunday 14 April, in a collision walking back to her home in Highgate with her mother, who was seriously injured. A 50-year-old man was killed on Tuesday 9 July while cycling at the junction of Chad Road and August Road in Edgbaston, with the driver being later arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
> Campaigners call for an “end to road violence” after three cyclists, including a 12-year-old boy “killed by motorists” in three weeks in Birmingham
Babiker Yahia, father of Mayar who was tragically killed in Highgate this April, said: “We need immediate action to stop dangerous drivers and make safer roads. Last Saturday we gathered on upper Highgate Street where my daughter was hit by a dangerous driver and passed away, and we absolutely sent our voice to leaders and people in office, but we need more demonstrations, and leaders with love in justice and humanity.”
Ayesha Mahmood, Highgate resident, said: “We have lost one of our angels. She was a little angel and she didn’t deserve to die this way. The morning I found out, I remember us mothers crying all the way to school, and our children looking up at us and asking us what had happened. We were so upset we couldn’t get our words out. The school has supported us more than anyone else. But unfortunately where is everyone else? Where are our public services?”
Naomi Fisher, mum of 3, said: “As a parent myself, the joy of walking or cycling in this city is fading away, replaced by an everyday fear that when we say goodbye in the morning, one of us may not return safely.”
David Cox OBE, veteran active travel activist, said: “The city and region have had good strategies and plans on active travel for over 10 years. There has been some progress but implementation has been much too slow leaving us still without a safe network. Meanwhile road danger has been increasing with more traffic and too much careless, dangerous and reckless driving.”
Add new comment
33 comments
"Imagine going through this everyday when there is a faster and more efficient way of travel available"
Car manufacturers/advertisers have a lot to answer for, with their commercials showing empty/scenic roads which is not the every day reality.
Just came across the below post from York Regional Police on Facebook. Doubtless means well but not sure about the vibe it gives off, "There is no rule that you have to like cyclists" feels pretty close to "Yes we know cyclists are annoying but…" to me.
ETA Oops, looking at it more closely it's York Canada - still a bit of an annoying tone but perhaps less relevant to British readers…teach me to post on a Sunday morning with insufficient coffee!
Thought there was something off there ...
... far too cycle-positive for Yorkshire! I think there's a York in Lancs too but obviously again far too helpful to originate there.
There are also a smattering of Yorks in such cycle-friendly nations as the US and Australia. I wouldn't presume to guess the helpful suggestions they might make!
Cycling for mind: Some seriously shit steering there.
Not necessarily lancs...
How did he even get to the tunnel ?
https://youtu.be/Ge43OZ1LWbA?t=223
Rendel, oldridgeback - any ideas ?
Holds up "driver"
https://youtu.be/8CsbR9JEBDs?t=495
Quote: "While disc wheels, ... lower your aerodynamic and make you go faster from A to B, ... they also reduce the downforce you need to turn your bike, making them especially tricky in windy conditions."
What???
The first one's OK, but the second???!?
That's why so many F1 drivers are cyclists!
I'm more bemused by
How does that work? Is it UCI legal?
Came here to make the same comment "they also reduce the downforce you need to turn your bike" - Uh, wha'? Someone in Road.cc mansions has had a brainfart there, or else needs to think about things again.
Even on an indoor track, a front disc is twitchy AF, and it's not the downforce that's making it so. It's non-uniform winds acting on a front end that turns easily.
Unfortunately another death this morning at the site of the top picture...
Sidewind increasing and decreasing as you enter and exit curve?
I think GCNs latest video is well timed with that report from Better streets for Birmingham.
There's nothing in it that we didn't already know, but it's good that theres a concise, well evidenced video that's easily digestible to share and get our point across.
It's also nice that GCN are getting back to making quality content after the parting with D-WB.
Yeah, a good watch, and a reminder that GCN can do good content when they want. They should do more of this type of content, rather than the usual performance, expensive tech stuff.
Remember they've gone through a bit of ownership change of direction lately.
i think we'll see more of this stuff but, now it's all on the YouTube algorithm you've got to like, comment, subscribe hit the bell for notifications, drive(sic) the viewer count up for it, so they can see what works and what doesn't.
That barricade is astonishing.
The only phrase I have is "cattle crush for giraffes" or "Stalag Luft III Entrance".
According to the hashtag, it is on the NCN (!).
How much taxpayers' money was pissed away installing THAT?
I reckon the cheapest way of improving road safety is to just ban motor traffic from the roads that have a fatality caused by motor traffic. The ban can just remain until they have spare money to make it safe and in the meantime, the closed roads can be used for active travel instead.
Hmm... isn't Birmingham bankrupt?
If so it would be a great advantage to them to stop chucking so much money at driving infra and start reaping the other economic benefits from fixing it to encourage active travel and less private motor vehicle use *.
Experience suggests however that one of the first items to be cut from the budget is anything with "active travel" in the title. Because we can't afford to maintain all the roads...
* That's not just building "cycling infra". There are a whole bunch of relatively cheap ways of discouraging excessive driving and also encouraging active travel. Modal filters, road narrowing by creating some "disaster relief quality" cycle space with concrete blocks, sorting out parking, installing bus gates to improve public transport reliability, creating pedestrianised areas etc. Of course "junctions" are the difficult bit, and sometimes "main roads" as well.
How the F do you get a bike through that gate?? It looks like you are expected to throw it in the air, dash through, and catch it.
Use a brompton and push it through the dog bit.
Collapse your pram and push it through the dog bit.
Collapse your wheelchair and push it through the dog bit. At this point you are now stuck - try thinking outside the box.
That's very unfair - it's not just on Birmingham roads…
This is so true, sadly. I'm nearly 60, have been cycling for 55 years, and although my heart is fighting it, my head is saying it won't be long before I abandon road cycling. And most of my cycling is in rural Sussex!
Until this country stops treating speeding as something every one does nothing will change, scrap the driver awareness course and just give points out. My neighbour just been caught doing 43 in a 30 mph zone and thinks its funny and now awaiting her speed awareness course. She is hoping to complete it online what a farce.
scrap the driver awareness course and just give points out
That would require a fundamental change in the attitude of the police.
My brother did a speed awareness course and he back evangelical about 20mph speed limits. I'm sure it did him more good than 3 points and a fine.
Meanwhile, I was speeding on the motorway and saw police with a speed gun on a bridge too late. No ticket came through my letter box, but I spent the following fortnight+ in a state of anxiety, which was heightened when the post was due. I fully accept I would have deserved a ticket, which was the worst part (even though I could convince myself it was safe for the conditions). The mere thought of the shame of a speed awareness course/points may have done more to teach me a lesson than actually getting the punishment.
However, I accept they are of limited deterrent to some, and there is a point at which meaningful fines (linked to wealth/income) and bans are required. I can't believe they are allowing them to be done remotely. Surely the inconvenience of attending and the shame of having to look people in the eye, and being forced to pay attention is what would make them effective for those who aren't pscyopaths.
If you've done one before then I'm not sure you should be allowed another, and definitely not remotely.
It's 25% to 175% of weekly income, but capped at 1000 or 2500 in your case.
Your parents obviously raised you and your brother well so you have a sense of moral obligation. Not everyone was raised that well. Those people can only be persuaded to obey the law if there are real repercussions for breaking it.
I'm sure it did him more good than 3 points and a fine
We woud have to agree to disagree on that.
Pages