Birmingham Friends of the Earth has a transport action group. It campaigns on a number of issues that are linked with other areas of human wellbeing; liveable places (place making), air quality, ease of access for sustainable transport modes, and man’s contribution to climate change.
Past and ongoing campaigning are for lower speed limits on residential roads, some of which have now been implemented, better local passenger rail services across the city, the development of buses and the need for better facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
Challenges have to be made to bizarre decisions such as part funding runway extension at Birmingham Airport from public transport budgets. We continue to contribute constructively by submitting detailed responses to consultations on transport developments to and affecting the city of Birmingham. A past response to a strategy for the railways in the West Midlands, for instance, mapped out an option for a new connection between two railways at Soho Pool as a way of enhancing the network and adding stations. Again on the railways, a past campaign generated 1500 letters in support of Kings Heath station reopening.
In 2017 we responded to a consultation on new routing and expansion of aviation over Birmingham (a transport mode not covered by reduction in emissions). Transport issues are generally at ground level and have included responses to Highways England proposals (who have a £15,000 expansion budget to 2020 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-investment-strategy . The Strategic Road Network that includes the motorway box seeks to increase the flow of vehicles but part moving control and spending on some Birmingham roads to Highways England, again aiming to expand vehicle numbers, was proposed for a Major Road Network’ (MRN); we responded to both consultations.
Also in 2017 we played a part in focussing attention on Kings Heath station that is also promoted by a facebook group ‘Reopen Kings Heath Station’.
On cycling the group cooperates with Push Bikes, the Birmingham Cycling Campaign. Push Bikes’ web site is http://www.pushbikes.org.uk/ or email secretary@pushbikes.org.uk
There’s a great urban walking route planner on http://walkit.com/ You can get a route map between any two points, including your journey time, calorie burn, step count and carbon saving.
Air travel is by far the most damaging environmentally, so always investigate train or ship options for longer journeys. The train and ship combined ticket to Ireland from Stena Line, is competitively priced. The Man in Seat Sixty-One offers great advice about getting around Europe by train http://www.seat61.com/
Come along to meetings on Monday evenings to find out more about our current campaigns.
