Low Traffic Moseley & Kings Heath
04/10/2021 at 10:52 am | Posted in Air pollution, Cycling, Streets, Walking | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath, Moseley
The City Council’s measures Phase 2 are up for public consultation in October. They are an experiment to deter traffic from cutting through residential streets in Moseley and Kings Heath, south of Balsall Heath.
Tubs of flowers have been used to cut certain roads, so residents can still get home,, but drivers cannot avoid the traffic lights on the main roads by charging through the side streets. A benefit has been a much safer environment for people to walk and cycle . The intention is to nudge people into not using cars for short journeys. It particularly helps children get to school without being driven there. Some changes to the layouts may happen, based on feedback from residents and businesses. The new plans are on view at Kings Heath Library.
BeHeard has the plans and dates of consultation events HERE. Consultation closes on Friday 5 November 2021.
Coming up are a n online presentation 5th October and give you an opportunity to ask the team any questions you have. Drop in session – York Road 12 Oct 2021 at 15:30 to 18:30 Chat with members of the team, and give us your feedback. No need to book, just turn up at any time. This will be an outdoor event.
Replace Incineration with Recycling
03/11/2020 at 10:51 am | Posted in Air pollution, Food, Recycling | Leave a commentA Petition has been started, calling on Birmingham City Council to make a plan to run down its incineration of council-collected waste, and instead to reuse, recycle, compost or digest what people throw away. . The incinerator at Tyseley is a huge emitter of carbon dioxide, and the Council has adopted a Climate Emergency Declaration, to reduce to zero carbon by 2030.
Many people in Balsall Heath try to recycle and compost at home, but a big change is wanted if Birmingham is to reach the recycling rate of the best cities. Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s petition will go the Council at the start of December.
The petition is HERE
Electrify your bike
26/09/2020 at 3:58 pm | Posted in Air pollution, Cycling, Streets | Leave a commentCould you add a battery and electric motor to your existing bike ? Many people have started cycling again this summer, but that find getting up hills in Birmingham really slows you down.
I was pleased to meet someone at the Moseley Farmers Market with a great idea. Instead of buying a new electric bike, at say £2,000, it is possible to add a motor to your front hub, leaving the rear wheel with the gears as they are. Moseleyebikes can supply a kit for you to electrify an existing bike. More details are at their site
Just this !
Everything has changed
04/04/2020 at 8:37 am | Posted in Air pollution, Cycling, Gardens, Green Spaces, Streets, Walking | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath
The virus COVID19 has required everyone in Balsall Heath to Stay at Home, so as to avoid spreading the disease. There is fear of infection, of losing your job, of getting into debt, so these are very difficult times for many people. All gatherings of more than 2 people are banned but local organisations are trying to offer advice and help.
Yet, it is also true that the restrictions have made the area much quieter and cleaner. Cars are mostly parked up, giving people the space to walk and cycle. Footways are clear to use. Traffic congestion has gone and the air is cleaner than we have ever known it. . People are walking and exercising every day in the local parks. Gardeners are hard at work. There is hardly any street litter because the takeaway outlets are closed and people are preparing food at home. We could say that in some ways a healthier way of life has been forced on us, and it would be good to keep some of those benefits after the virus has gone.
More working from home and less driving would remove the case for widening the Moseley Road, as proposed by Transport for West Midlands. A city with less traffic is proposed by the new Birmingham Transport Plan, which the city council has put out for consultation, asking if the public support it ( ending 9th April) – Birmingham Transport Plan
John Newson, (working from home)
Opposition to widening of the Moseley Road
21/11/2019 at 4:33 pm | Posted in Air pollution, Cycling, Streets, Train station, Trees, Walking | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath, Moseley
It appears that the Bus Priority scheme, to widen the main road and reduce the foot ways so as to add another lane of traffic, after cutting down the street trees, is heading for a big Dislike, Local organisations are objecting and a petition with hundreds of signatures calling for it to be halted has been collected. The saving to bus passengers would be small and the cost high for our local community. This was the feeling of this month’s Ward Forum, attended by about 40 people, which were unconvinced when local concerns were dismissed as’ myths’ by the officer from Transport West Midlands. It is clear that no-one from Highgate, or Balsall Heath or Moseley was involved at any stage in drawing up these plans, therefore a huge opportunity has been missed to make a scheme that would speed up buses and benefit our communities as well.
Bus lanes may not be universally the right answer to bus travel, just as cycle lanes are not always best thing for cyclists. Public consultations is set to close on Friday night 22nd November. Beheard website
More on Road Widening
07/11/2019 at 6:23 pm | Posted in Air pollution, Cycling, Green Spaces, Streets, Train station, Trees, Walking | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath, Moseley
The Ward Forum for Balsall Heath & Sparkbrook will discuss the Moseley Road widening scheme on Wednesday 13th Nov. The 3 Ward councillors will attend, with members of the public. I have been asked to give an explanation of the scheme and its impact. Please come along if you can, since the councillors are there to hear and represent local opinion back to the City Council.
Meeting starts at Balsall Heath Church Centre at 7 pm, but the item is some way down the agenda (attached).
Online, there is an opportunity to comment on the reopening of Kings Heath station, people may want to support it and ask for Balsall Heath to get the same . Use application number 2019/08129/PA here
Birmingham Friends of the Earth’s petition saying No to road widening continues to gather signatures here
Comments on the scheme can be made at Beheard until 22 Nov. BeHeard website
Is this a Better Balsall Heath ?
26/10/2019 at 12:30 am | Posted in Air pollution, Cycling, Streets, Walking | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath, Moseley
Debate continues over plans to widen Moseley Road.
The public meeting at The Old Print Works on 22 October was strongly critical of the Transport for West Midlands proposals, which we had described to us, to narrow the foot ways, take down the line of trees and fit in another lane of traffic through the centre of Balsall Heath. This seems quite against the core aim of the Neighbourhood Plan to strengthen our local centre.
Many ways to make the existing road function more efficiently can be identified, reducing the delays to buses, but this should make the widening unnecessary, it was argued. People want the rail station reopened, rather than the road widened. The full text of the discussion can be had from me John Newson bhiop[at]jericho.org.uk
Residents have organised a meeting in Tindal Street on 27 Oct. because many people do not know about this scheme and did not get the city council’s letter about the scheme, or could not read it in English.
A petition is being started by Birmingham Friends of the Earth, in favour of a better bus service, but against the road widening,
People have asked for, and have got, an extension until 22nd November for public consultation. Only online responses will be taken, through the BeHeard website. You can say which aspects of the scheme you like, or don’t like.
Now Birmingham City Council is to put forward, at the end of November, their big plan to reduce car travel into the city centre, as part of progressing towards a zero carbon city in Birmingham Transport Plan 2031.
What is the effect of fitting in another lane of traffic, here ?
Bus User Survey
26/02/2019 at 7:10 am | Posted in Air pollution, Streets | Leave a commentPeople who use buses can often feel like second class citizens, but we are now being asked about how we experience bus travel, in this survey by Birmingham City Council.
A bus holds more people than a line of 22 cars, so everyone has an interest in buses being attractive and successful. The survey closes 1st March and is here BUS SURVEY
Green Up for Streets
05/02/2019 at 1:13 pm | Posted in Air pollution, Gardens, Streets | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath
It is time to refresh the street scene, and reward people who walk instead of driving. BHIOP has teamed up with Balsall Heath Forum to deal with planting boxes around the area which had become sad and were even collapsing. We had a list from our previous street audit.
The team worked hard and demolished eight planters along Moseley Road, Ladypool and Edward Road, relocating the soil and plants into any more sturdy boxes. Bulbs, we saved and replanted in the ground to produce spring flowers. We noticed that last summer’s drought had killed many plants, but not the sedum, which is drought resistant, so this looks like it will be the predominant plant in future. Thanks for Sanje and Hamid and the team.
Anyone who wishes to adopt a planter in their street and look after it is very welcome to do so ….
Energy Saving Tour of Moseley Rd Baths
19/01/2019 at 2:10 pm | Posted in Air pollution, Community energy, Home Energy saving | Leave a commentTags: Balsall Heath
Energy Saving Tour of Moseley Road Baths, next Saturday 26th Jan. 2019
How can our historic swimming baths save on gas, electric and water? You can learn and help the Baths become more sustainable at this energy event, with expert Phil Beardmore. We will look for problems and solutions to help old buildings survive. Anyone with an interest is welcome (not suitable for children) . Free – supported by The Lottery.
Meet at 9.45 for 10.00 start on Saturday, Moseley Rd Baths. Book one of the 12 places with john Newson BHIOP[at]jericho.org.uk 0121 647 1960 office hours leave a message
Organised by Balsall Heath Is Our Planet with Friends of the Baths.
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