We drove around the 20mph zones in Birmingham and met some very unhappy drivers

Window down, abusing his horn and aggressively screaming expletives at the driver behind me. I could certainly think of more relaxing ways to spend my evening.

But alas I was out in Birmingham - Small Heath to be specific - and driving in 20mph zones to find out if they’re effective and if drivers are taking them seriously. Clearly, the guy shouting from his car window, and racing off in a puff of vape smoke after impatiently overtaking me and the driver behind on a narrow road, failed this particular road test.

He was however the only speeding motorist I came across in an hour of driving around 20mph zones – silver lining and all that? I decided to take on this challenge after Birmingham City Council introduced more 20mph neighbourhoods in a bid to prevent and reduce road collisions.

It comes after far too many fatalities and serious injuries on city streets this year. One of which happened last month on the corner of Mansel Road and Somerville Road - both 20mph zones, where I visited on Wednesday night (September 13). Police previously said the crash had left a 65-year-old pedestrian fighting for his life after being struck by a car.

I’d already been driving around Small Heath and Bordesley Green for a while before heading to this spot and was encouraged at drivers obeying the laws of the road. Though it’s probably worth pointing out that these areas are extremely built-up.

Parked cars, bulky speed bumps and slender streets slow down traffic considerably. Exceeding the 20mph speed limit here, without crashing, would be a struggle for even the most technically gifted boy racer.

But it was when heading up a more open Mansel Road, towards Coventry Road, that a speeding motorist, with an apparent bee in his bonnet, shot around the corner behind me, ruining an otherwise pleasant journey. He began cursing and waving his fist at the driver wedged between us like a deranged lunatic before overtaking us both in a hurry.

Maybe he had somewhere important to be? Or maybe he is just a reckless driver. Regardless, it was the only incident in an otherwise calm drive around areas where thousands of children play and reside. And that, in large, is surely thanks to the speed restrictions in place.

I also visited city centre roads where 20mph limits have been implemented: Dalton Street, Newton Street, The Priory Queensway, Corporation Street and Moor Street Queensway – all of which appeared to be safe and controlled with the help of regular traffic light intervals preventing opportunities to speed.

Why are 20mph zones in place?

Introducing more 20mph speed zones in the UK has not come without criticism. Those against say the zones cause traffic congestion, are ‘too slow’ and ‘waste time’.

Birmingham City Council carried out a three year test to monitor if 20mph zones had an impact on speeds, fatal crashes, those causing serious injuries and other collisions. In a report entitled ‘slower is safer’, released in February last year, the authority said the implementation of 20mph speed zones had led to “broadly positive results”.