Former Birmingham City Council transport boss Councillor Majid Mahmood has called for a review of the policy to cut speed limits on major roads, just months after overseeing its implementation. The measure, which reduced speed limits from 40mph to 30mph on 27 key routes, was introduced in December last year as part of the council's Road Harm Reduction Strategy.
Background of the Policy
At the time of implementation, Councillor Mahmood, who served as Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, stated: "This is a really important measure to make our roads safer. However, it is about so much more than that; we want to encourage sustainable travel and reduce the impact of traffic on our local communities. Lower speeds mean safer streets, cleaner air and a more resilient transport network for everyone."
Call for Review
In a letter sent last week to senior council executives, Councillor Mahmood requested a review and public consultation on the policy. He highlighted that while some have welcomed the changes, others have raised concerns. The review should begin with two specific routes: the Spine Road (A47 Heartlands Parkway) and Small Heath Highway.
Councillor Mahmood wrote: "These changes were implemented with the clear objectives of improving road safety, reducing collisions and creating calmer, more liveable streets for our communities. As you will recall, it was always the intention that these speed limits would be reviewed after approximately a year in operation to assess their effectiveness. While I recognise many residents and stakeholders have welcomed these measures, I have also received significant feedback from residents, businesses and road users who have raised concerns about how the limits are operating on certain dual carriageways."
He added: "I believe it is important this review is accompanied by a public consultation to ensure we fully capture the views and experiences of those who use these roads regularly. It is essential that any assessment is evidence led, drawing on collision data, traffic flow analysis and community feedback. Our shared priority must remain clear: ensuring the safety of all road users while maintaining appropriate journey times and effective road use."
Political Context
Councillor Mahmood retained his seat in the local elections earlier this month. However, with Labour losing their majority and new leader Nicky Brennan ruling Labour out of any power-sharing administration, Councillor Mahmood will no longer sit in Cabinet.
Mixed Reactions
The call for a review has prompted a mixed response on social media. Former West Midlands Cycling and Walking Commissioner Adam Tranter said on Bluesky: "This is the former Birmingham Labour Transport Cabinet member, responsible for declaring a 'road safety emergency' and reducing 40mph urban main roads to 30mph, now immediately calling for his *own* policy to be reviewed. Deeply unserious and, worse, actually dangerous."
The Friends of Bradford Street group commented: "Horrified by this. Small Heath Highway has been made noticeably safer by the 30mph changes. Why anyone would undo this beggars belief."
On Facebook, where Councillor Mahmood shared a copy of his letter, Zahid Bacha said: "Not only the two routes, all the 40 to 30 be reversed back from 30 to 40. Great." Naseem Kayani added: "Speed needs to be review and increased on all the dual carriageways. This nonsense is only happening in Birmingham."
Road Safety Context
In 2024, a road safety emergency was declared following a string of incidents resulting in deaths or serious injuries in Birmingham. A Regional Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030 was devised by the commissioner, West Midlands Police, Birmingham City Council, and Mayor Richard Parker. The objective is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads by 50 per cent by 2030 and achieve 'Vision Zero' by 2040.
