Yardley Wood Road in Moseley, Birmingham is an unclassified road with a 30mph speed limit that carries a significant amount more traffic that it was designed for. It is a bus route and a designated blue route for emergency services. The road is predominantly residential. Unfortunately, its layout is exploited by drivers at all times of day to speed excessively and drive without due care and attention, sometimes dangerously. On 30 August 2022, a head on collision occurred in the afternoon between two vehicles leading to two drivers and one passenger being taken to hospital on stretchers, it was suspected excess speed and distracted driving were to blame. Just before the first lockdown in 2020, the driver of a Seat vehicle was racing against another car, lost control and ended up crashing into a hedge by Moseley Bog car park, narrowly missing a father and daughter out walking their dog. The driver was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. The crossroads at the junction of Yardley Wood Road and Wake Green Road is the scene of frequent collisions, red light jumping and has no provision for pedestrians to cross safely. A local resident has incurred damage to his boundary wall on several occasions as a result of drivers colliding with it.

During one week in April 2022, speed monitoring equipment laid by the Police Camera Enforcement Unit caught one driver doing 95mph and many others doing in excess of 60mph. For this type of driver behaviour to be occurring at such regularity on a route that is used by cyclists, schoolchildren, pedestrians and dog walkers visiting the many open spaces in the vicinity is untenable. Residents' lives are being significantly impacted daily by the noise created by drivers racing on the road and the fear another serious crash may occur that could lead to a fatality.

With the anticipated introduction of the Moseley Places for People scheme in 2023, Yardley Wood Rd may experience greater volumes of traffic as it will be a boundary road. There is therefore an even stronger argument for budget to be found to invest in improvements to the road.

As residents and road users of Yardley Wood Road and adjoining roads we demand the Council urgently commit to secure funding to install evidenced-based and effective traffic calming measures to address the concerns raised. We also demand an urgent change to the Council’s criteria for road safety schemes to be implemented when the Road Safety Strategy is next reviewed. Currently the threshold is too high, causing further distress to victims of driving offences and residents in areas where road safety is a concern.

We would ask that any proposals include a full consultation with residents and local businesses to ensure their voices and needs are accounted for.