27 major Birmingham roads to get 30mph limit in safety push – full list revealed

Birmingham drivers are facing slower journeys as the council moves to cut speed limits to 30 on dozens of major roads across the city.

Officials say it's about saving lives and tackling what they call a "road safety emergency."

But not everyone's convinced. Some say it will make streets safer and reduce pressure on emergency services.

Others see it as another burden on drivers, businesses, and the local economy. The plan is already being rolled out - and it's changing how fast the city moves.

Watch the video: Richard Gullick reports

Around 27 main roads in Birmingham currently set at 40mph will be brought down to 30.

The council says it's about saving lives. They've pointed to the data: most serious crashes already happen on 30mph roads.

Lower speeds, they argue, mean fewer deaths. The new limits are already being phased in and the full rollout is expected to finish by the end of next year. No new speed cameras have been promised - enforcement will rely on signage and markings.

Supporters frame the move as a public health measure.

They say slower roads protect the most vulnerable - pedestrians, cyclists, and children. Especially in poorer areas, where car ownership is lower and more people rely on walking or buses, the change could mean safer journeys and fewer hospital beds taken up by road trauma.

They also argue it'll ease pressure on emergency services and encourage more people to ditch the car entirely. It's a shift in mindset: not just about safety, but about how we design our streets and who they're really for.

But critics aren't buying it. Small businesses and taxi drivers say it'll mean longer routes and higher costs. They accuse the council of waging a "war on motorists," and warn the change will frustrate drivers without tackling the real causes of collisions. There's also a wider agenda.

Birmingham is considering a 20mph default limit in future. That would need government backing - but the direction of travel is clear. For now, it's 30 on roads that used to be 40. Whether that's a safer city or a slower one depends on how it plays out.

The roads included:

• A34 Walsall Road / A34 Perry Barr Expressway / A34 Birchfield Road / A34 High Street – From Old Walsall Road to Old Park Walk (near Bartons Arms)
• A4041 Queslett Road – Near Hamble Road
• A452 Chester Road North – From the roundabout with A4041 Queslett Road East (city boundary) to Greenway Drive
• A5127 Lichfield Road – From south of Bishops Way to the roundabout at Watford Gap Road (city boundary)
• Webster Way / Thimble End Road – From Walmley Road to Walmley Ash Road
• Ox Leys Road – From Springfield Road to Fox Hollies Road
• A38 / B4148 Tyburn Road – From Salford Circus to Chester Road roundabout
• B4148 Eachelhurst Road – From south of the railway bridge to the roundabout at A452 Chester Road
• A38 Kingsbury Road – From Minworth Island (A4097 Kingsbury Road) to B4148 Tyburn Road junction
• A4097 Kingsbury Road – From Wiggins Hill Road to city boundary
• A452 Chester Road – From the new Aldi on A452 to the Castle Bromwich interchange near Newport Road
• B4147 Newport Road – From Castle Bromwich interchange to the roundabout at Coleshill Road
• A47 Heartlands / Fort Parkway – From Spitfire Island to Saltley Viaduct roundabout
• A47 Nechells Parkway – From B4132 Goodrick Way roundabout to the A4540 ring road (heading into city)
• A4540 Ring Road (clockwise, 3 sections) – From Dartmouth Circus to Spring Hill
• A45 Small Heath Highway – From Bolton Road junction to Heybarnes Circus
• A45 Coventry Road / A45 New Coventry Road – From Heybarnes Circus to city boundary at Hatchford Brook
• Monmouth Drive – From Jevons Road to Somerville Road
• Weeford Road – From mini roundabout at Harvest Fields Way to A453 Tamworth Road
• A441 Redditch Road – From Burford Park Road to city boundary at Longbridge Lane
• A38 Bristol Road South Eastbound – Section either side of Park Way junction Westbound – Section either side of Park Way junction, extending to city boundary at Leach Green Lane
• B4121 Wolverhampton Road South / B4121 West Boulevard / Barnes Hill / Shenley Lane – From Hagley Road West junction to Black Haynes Road junction
• A456 Hagley Road West – From Perry Hill Lane to Bearwood Road / Lordswood Road junction
• A41 Hockley Flyover (Soho Hill & Hockley Hill) – From Key Hill to Soho Hill
• Lindridge Road – From Rectory Road to Withy Hill Road (as currently signed on site)
• Redhill Road – From Redditch Road to BCC boundary (as currently signed on site)
• Walmley Ash Lane / Cottage Lane – From Walmley Ash Road junction to Hurst Green Road junction