Plans to ban cars from key Kings Heath road in bold new proposals

A consultation has been launched on plans to 'pedestrianise' York Road and implement new traffic-calming measures elsewhere in Kings Heath. The second phase of the Places for People in Kings Heath & Moseley scheme would see York Road become a 'pedestrian zone', as well as new modal filters placed on roads east of Kings Heath High Street.

Places for People aims to reduce the amount of traffic in residential neighbourhoods. Proponents of the strategy, which first began in 2020, say it is beneficial to the environment by getting people out of their cars - but the scheme has divided opinion with reports that anti-LTN campaigners were 'forcibly removing' bollards in protest against the scheme.

Birmingham City Council is seeking feedback from the public on the designs for the second phase of the scheme. The plans will seek to address 'ongoing issues' with unauthorised vehicles entering and travelling through York Road by implementing new fixed concrete bollards.

READ MORE: Moment Kings Heath resident confronted by raging driver after 'LTN bollard taken from street'

Under the plans, which can be viewed here , York Road will become a 'Pedestrian & Cycle Zone' between High Street and Waterloo Road which will create 'opportunities to repurpose space.' Diagonal modal filters will also be installed across the nearby junction of Highbury Road and Grange Road and on Silver Street.

The series of measures aim to prevent through-traffic from using residential streets to travel between Kings Heath High Street and Avenue Road.

Nearby Colmore, Hazelhurst and All Saints roads will also have modal filters installed to prevent through-traffic from using residential streets to travel between Howard Road and Vicarage Road.

In the east of the suburb, modal filters, one-way streets, and physical traffic calming measures will be used to cut traffic in residential areas. Diagonal modal filters will be used at the junction of Institute Road and Melton Road to prevent through-traffic using Institute Road between Kings Heath High Street and Springfield Road & Billesley Lane.

A diagonal modal filter will also replace the existing 5-arm roundabout at the junction of Poplar Road, Valentine Road, School Road, Cambridge Road & Springfield Road.

In Moseley, diagonal modal filters across the junction of School Road, Greenhill Road and Greenend Road could be installed, as well 10 splitter islands between Springfield Road and Wake Green Road to reduce vehicles speeds and discourage the use of roads as through-routes.

Residents can read more about the plans and submit their views here.