From left to right card designer Becky Wilkes, BFoE Campaign Support Worker Julien Pritchard, Councillor James McKay Cabinet Member for Green Safe and Smart City, Councillor David Willis, and Councillor Paula Smith
Councillors were presented with a giant Christmas card yesterday, thanking all councillors for passing a motion in favour of 20mph motion last month.
The presentation, organised by BFoE, took place on the Council House steps, and was attended by Councillors David Willis and Paula Smith, (councillors for South Yardley and Hall Green respectively), as well as Councillor James McKay, Cabinet Member for Green Safe and Smart City.
The card highlighted the benefits of 20mph for different groups of Birmingham residents, including cyclists, the elderly, pedestrians, people with disabilities, parents and children, in the form of 8 Christmas thank yous, one for each remaining day until Christmas.
We’ve long campaigned for 20mph limits on the city’s residential roads, saying that 20mph will mean they are safer for children, the elderly and other vulnerable road users as well as being more pleasant to cycle and walk along, encouraging people to walk and cycle more for shorter trips.
We were really pleased when this was passed by the council lass month, and we wanted to make sure the council got the recognition they deserved, but also ensure that it doesn’t fall off their radar and that they follow through on their commitment to 20mph.
Paula Smith, one of the councillors who submitted the motion agreed saying: “This is something that we’ve been wanting for years, we’ve passed the motion, so let’s get it implemented.”
Hopefully this card will serve as a timely reminder to the council’s recent commitment to 20mph, and we can look forward to this being implemented next year!
