I just noticed by chance on the Birmingham City Council Website that the one way system installed in Ladypool Road under an Experimental Traffic Order in summer 2019 has become permanent. The currently tiny section of segregated cycle lane is to be extended from Alder Lane to Brighton Road. As a cyclist I welcome this because the current road markings are not fit for purpose and the cycle lane is are used as a car park .
However what has been totally missing from this scheme from start to end is any sort of meaningful consultation. The original consultation in 2019 lasted for less than three weeks and was, as far as I can see, mainly online on the Be Heard website .
That initial consultation clearly says that ‘before this change to a one way road is made permanent, there will be a formal public consultation‘. So what happened to that ? I haven’t seen it, and none of the businesses or residents in that area I’ve asked have been approached. I might welcome the change as a cyclist but I was never given the opportunity to formally give this feedback and others may disagree.
This total lack of engagement with our communities is what causes people to lose faith in the council and become negative and apathetic about changes which could be positive for them.
There is nothing less empowering than having things done to you rather than with you. Imposing changes with no notice, giving less than three weeks to comment on them, pitching them as experimental but then later making them permanent is just not good enough.
You can see the latest update regarding the Ladypool ERTO on line here
Moseley Liberal Democrats 