Consultation has now opened on new Places for People designs for both sides of Kings Heath High Street, in a bid to improve air quality and create safer streets for walking and cycling.
Places for People has been designed to open up local communities for people cycling and walking – and protect people, especially children and older people, from the dangers of busy roads.
Last year, as part of Birmingham City Council’s Emergency Transport Plan, a temporary Places for people scheme was introduced in parts of Kings Heath and Moseley to prevent motorised vehicles from using side streets to cut through and avoid main roads.
The measures received a significant amount of feedback from residents and stakeholders, which were followed up with various site visits and meetings by Council Officers.
Initial changes to the scheme were made in response to local feedback and a dedicated project board was set-up in May 2021 to oversee future phases.
This included the continued development of travel plans to encourage walking and cycling to school and managing the full public consultation on new scheme designs which was launched today.
Birmingham City Council‘s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Waseem Zaffar said: “Last year was really challenging for us and our city. Lockdown restrictions meant we were unable to do consultation in the usual way, and I recognise that some people felt that as a result their views were not heard.
“What has been very apparent from the feedback we received last year, is that congestion and speeding on minor roads are important issues that local people feel strongly about, and Places for People is designed to tackle this. I’m really looking forward to going back out into the community and hear their views.
“We want this scheme to work for everyone in the area, to create healthier, safer and better-connected neighbourhoods.”
The measures implemented last year focused mainly on the west side of Kings Heath High Street. However, the latest consultation presents options for both sides to prevent minor roads being used as through routes, in a bid to improve air quality and create safer streets.
The scheme has been developed in partnership with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) through the Active Travel Fund.
The consultation opens today via the Council’s consultation platform Birmingham BeHeard and closes on 5 November. Public drop-in events will also be held throughout October, with more information available on the Birmingham City Council website.
Following the consultation, detailed designs for both sides of Kings Heath High Street will be created and implemented in early 2022 under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).