Rubery family’s unbearable grief fuels road safety fight after dad killed in Egghill Lane crash

Tina Ward was devastated when her father Terry was struck by a car on Egghill Lane, Rubery, and suffered “horrendous” injuries.

He was rushed to hospital but died on March 4 last year, shattering Tina and her daughter Sophie Belsey.

The pair, with councillor Simon Morrall, have been fighting over the past 12 months for road safety measures on the road.

Following their campaign, Coun Morrall confirmed the city council was considering installing five sets of cushions/road bumps along Egghill Lane as well as a speed activation sign coming off the country lane.

This would flash oncoming vehicles’ speed red if they were doing more than 30mph.

“It is so important the residents and neighbouring areas agree to the proposal,” Tina said. “Although it’s too late for my dad, I really don’t want this to happen to anyone else.

“The past 13 months have been unbearable.”

Sophie said “physical measures need to be put in place” and traffic calming on Egg Hill Lane would keep pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers safe.

“I want to thank Tina and Sophie for being brave and continuing to push me on this,” Coun Morrall said. “I am so relieved we are finally able to do something on this road. It shouldn’t have taken such a loss for the city council to act on it.”

A public consultation on the proposed traffic calming measures has been launched, with Coun Morrall saying the measures could be “put together next spring” if they were signed off.

West Midlands Police said a man was interviewed under caution in connection with the crash but no-one had been charged.

Road safety emergency

The city council declared a road safety emergency last summer amid deep concern over the number of people killed or seriously injured on the city’s roads.

Earlier this year, it shared its ‘road harm reduction strategy’ – described as a “blueprint for safer roads across Birmingham”.

“We need a new approach to respond to this road safety emergency, driving down harm and making our roads and streets safer for all users,” transport boss Coun Majid Mahmood wrote.

He said the city council would act by removing the majority of motor vehicles from local streets in residential areas while also investing in both neighbourhoods and certain road ‘corridors’.

There will also be reduced speed limits; greater focus on public transport and action to crack down on issues such as street racing and pavement parking.

Coun Mahmood said an investment of £10 million had been provisionally allocated towards the “consolidation and expansion” of average speed enforcement cameras in Birmingham, among other actions.