Drivers have been warned of changes to speed limits across one of the UK’s largest cities coming in this month, with several roads set to become 30mph for the first time.
It comes after the Labour-run Birmingham City Council revealed that it will be reducing speed limits along 27 key roads in the city from 40mph to 30mph.
The council announced a “road safety emergency” last year, which called for speed limit changes to be fast-tracked.
The emergency was in response to the high number of serious and fatal collisions on Birmingham’s roads, with many caused by dangerous and anti-social driving.
Research from campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham revealed that at least 23 people had been killed on the streets between June 2023 and July 2024.
Councillor Majid Mahmood had previously warned that the council was planning to make the speed limit on “virtually all roads” a maximum of 30mph.
The council has now started its latest phase of the plan, with streets set to be reduced along vital A-roads in the city by the end of the month.
He said: “We are also working with police on red light cameras, and we have just announced six new locations for average speed cameras across the city.
Birmingham City Council plans to turn several roads across the region to 30mph this month
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PA“Working with our police partners, swift and decisive action will be taken against those who break the rules of the road. Driving is a privilege, not a right.”
The council launched a consultation on the measures, which saw 1,674 people respond, with 57 per cent being opposed to the lower speed limits and only 37.9 per cent in favour of the scheme.
Despite this, the council still moved ahead with the plans and began moving forward with plans to turn certain roads to 30mph.
As part of the restriction, the council explained that any road in the city with street lighting, which is referred to as a “restricted road”, would automatically have a 30mph limit unless “a road sign saying something else”.
Drivers have been warned they could be fined £100 for breaking the new speed limits
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PASimon Foster, Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, added: “I made it clear a year ago, we needed to bring more careless, reckless and dangerous drivers to justice, particularly those driving at excess speed – and now we have tripled that number, which is pleasing.
“This is, in part, a result of the investment that both the Chief Constable and I have made, including additional police officers and staff allocated to roads policing and my having doubled the number of mobile speed enforcement camera vans.”
The council explained that the difference between travelling at 30mph rather than 40mph offers “no time difference” with the impact on drivers seeming to be minimal, with driving 10mph slower seen to only add 10 to 30 seconds per mile.
“Changing attitudes to speed is the most effective way to improve compliance,” the council noted.
The council plans on turning ‘virtually all roads’ in the city centre to 30mph
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BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL
Once the 30mph limits are introduced throughout the city, the council said it would run a communications campaign to encourage drivers to follow them.
Failure to follow the new speed limits can result in significant penalties for drivers, with a minimum penalty of £100 and three licence points being issued by the police.
Travelling at lower speeds was also found to help vehicles move more smoothly and reduce the number of harmful emissions being released.
“Driving more slowly gives people more time to react, which reduces stop-start driving and unnecessary lane changes. It also helps junctions work more efficiently as drivers are less likely to overshoot stop lines or block intersections,” the council added.