00:00Birmingham City Council is moving ahead with plans to reduce speed limits on
00:04most of the city's roads from 40 to 30 miles per hour. This decision comes after
00:10a year-long consultation that revealed mixed feelings among residents with over
00:15half of the respondents opposing the change. The council however is firm in
00:19its stance that this reduction is necessary to tackle what they describe
00:23as a road safety emergency. The plan is part of a broader effort to encourage
00:29safer driving behaviours and promote active travel such as walking and
00:33cycling. Yeah generally I think it's a good idea I think obviously road safety
00:40would increase but also pollution. Now the 30 to the 20 that they've done in
00:46parts of Wales I think that's backfired and I think something like 40 to 30 in
00:50certain areas something similar will happen. So no I'd say it's a good thing
00:53you know reducing it you know keeping people a bit safe on the road. I don't
00:56drive so I couldn't really have a say I don't really know but as far as I know
01:00it's probably a good thing. Despite the split opinion the council has confirmed
01:04that legal preparations are well underway to enforce these new limits
01:07which are expected to be in place by the end of the year. The proposal does not
01:12include additional physical measures like speed bumps or new cameras though
01:16existing speed enforcement cameras will be adjusted to reflect the reduced
01:20limits. Funding for this product will come from the surplus income generated
01:25by Birmingham's Clean Air Zone ensuring the focus remains on improving transport
01:30safety. Generally yes I am concerned as a motorist as a father and a grandfather
01:36and picking up news items as you've just said about Birmingham and certainly from
01:42parts of Shropshire and Telford where I originally came from within the local
01:46press it seems to be on the rise. Constantly you know you're hearing about
01:50crashes and all of that and you know it's probably a good thing that all of
01:54these measures are put into place especially around Birmingham we've
01:56already got a couple things put in place but yeah that would be ideal I'd say.
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