With the local elections only a month away, we’ve been asked by a number of residents for our stance on the Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN), especially in regards to the latest update released by Birmingham Labour. The update is only available online but we can take a paper copy to anyone who cannot access it.
We recognise the LTN is an emotive subject with strong feelings both for and against. Over the next few days we will be delivering a letter, which explains our position as set out below, to all households within the area in Moseley ward defined by the council as part of the project, including boundary roads.
We believe that the results from the public consultation, published by the Labour Council in March 2022, demonstrate that we were right to be worried about Birmingham Labour’s scheme.
One of the fundamental flaws of the project is that Moseley has been dragged into a Kings Heath project to resolve the congestion problems in Kings Heath High Street. The revised scheme for Moseley is not fundamentally about resolving traffic problems in Moseley.
This is what we said about the Council’s original consultation which took place in late 2021:
“This is a scheme to reduce traffic in residential areas, particularly for shorter distances, and to promote walking and cycling. We support such broad aims but would only support an evidence-based solution that works and that does not divide communities”.
This is what we will do if we are elected as councillors on 5th May:
- We will take up our places on the Project Review Board set up by the Council to manage Places for People. It is currently made up of four Labour councillors and two Labour MPs.
- We would examine the evidence and rationale behind the new proposals and any modelling that has taken place. We are especially concerned about the impact on the less mobile and the boundary roads and would want reassurances as to how those things are to be addressed.
- As Councillors we would have the power to refer the project to a scrutiny committee and to insist on a full consultation before implementation. Currently the plan is for the proposals to be signed off by cabinet and then implemented under an Experimental Traffic Order (which means they would install the measures and consult during the first six months).
- We will insist on before and after traffic modelling and robust air pollution monitoring to assess the impact of any changes.
The Birmingham Lib Dems are in favour of increasing cycling provision, making our streets safer by use of average speed cameras, better enforcement against anti-social driving and parking and lobbying for a decent public transport system that encourages people away from cars.
Izzy & Radley – Liberal Democrat candidates for Moseley Ward
Moseley Liberal Democrats 