Action needed on Billesley Lane

Following the third serious collision caused by speeding/racing drivers in Billesley Lane in less than six months I have written this email to our Councillors and local Police. (I have edited to remove some personal details):
From: Izzy Knowles <>Subject: Moseley LTN and Billesley LaneDate: 30 November 2020 at 22:02:30 GMTTo: Councillor Martin Straker Welds <>, Councillor Kerry Jenkins <>Cc: Tom O’Keeffe <t.okeeffe@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk>, Neil Kirkpatrick <n.kirkpatrick@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk>
Dear Martin & Kerry, Tom and Neil
I have not long come inside from the scene of yet another crashed car on the corner of Greenhill Road and Billesley Lane at approx 18.30hrs this evening. From talking to neighbours it would appear two cars were racing each other down the hill from the direction of Kings Heath. The driver of the red Skoda in the photo has lost control on hitting the bend as he approached Greenhill Road junction, shot across the mouth of the junction, hit a bag of builders sand that was on the verge and spun into the tree, damaging the wall.The three occupants then left the scene in the second car which pulled up along side. Whilst I was talking to one of the neighbours three males turned up and started to remove items from the car, including the keys which had been left in the ignition. They all left again when I called the police. However over an hour later the police had still not arrived. The reason I’m writing is that this is the third similar collision on Billesley Lane in less than six months where vehicles have left the road at speed and crashed into houses or garden walls. As you know my neighbours and I have been recording traffic flow and volume at various junctions for the last few months, both before and after the modal filters were recently put in place in School Road and Cambridge Road . Our findings show a significant increase of traffic using both Greenhill Road and Oxford Road to travel between Kings Heath/Moseley and so adding to the pressure of traffic on Billesley Lane especially at these two junctions. Billesley Lane is not a major road. It has a high volume of cyclists and pedestrian traffic as well as vehicles. It is crossed by many pupils walking to and from local primary and secondary schools. St Agnes Church Hall on the corner of Dyott Road is in normal non lockdown times used by mother and toddler groups, pre school, cubs and brownies and various after school clubs with both children and adults frequently crossing the road at this junction. The One Stop shop is a very busy local shop used by many families who walk or cycle.Moseley Tennis Club is used by families and children, again many walk or cycle to classes or events.Two of these recent crashes have happened in the early evening when pedestrian traffic is normally heavier. Speeding and racing has long been an issue on roads like Billesley Lane. However this year it has become much more prevalent. Collisions like this one, although not resulting in injury are incredibly upsetting and frightening to residents and to passers by. However, possibly because there was no injury, they are not being taken seriously by the police.Residents who have lived on or near this road have felt ignored for a long time. They are now concerned they will be left to bear the burden of the redirected traffic from other roads within the LTN and incidents like this will increase.We have a real opportunity to address this now. I am urging you to ensure that Billesley Lane is considered for some serious traffic calming measures which could even involve re modelling the junctions.I’m also asking that the police please take much more interest including robust investigation of reports of no insurance, dangerous driving and fail to stop as well as increased speed checks during the evenings and partnership working to obtain more equipment and traffic calming measures in known collision hot spots. I look forward to hearing from you
Best wishes
Izzy