Agenda item

A petition report was submitted by the Senior Development Manager that required consideration by the committee in accordance with the new WMCA petitions protocol.

The petition, received on behalf of Birmingham Friends of the Earth objected to the A435 Alcester Road/ Moseley Road and Highgate Middleway Bus Revitalisation Project, had received over 250 signatures and had been considered by the Officer Petition Panel and the Putting Passengers First Lead Member Reference Group.

It was noted that the petition had been submitted to Birmingham  City Council’s Chair of the Sustainability and Transport Overview Scrutiny Committee but had been forwarded to TfWM for action as the project owner with overall responsibility for the scheme. However, the final decision on the scheme would be taken by Birmingham City Council as the Local Highway Authority.

[Councillor Huxtable reported that he was a member of Birmingham City Council’s Sustainability and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee and declared an interest in this matter in that the decision taken could be the subject of a future ‘call-in’].

The  Lead Petitioner, Martin Stride, Birmingham Friends of The Earth outlined the reasons for the petition which related to the above scheme (following public consultation) on plans by Birmingham City Council to widen stretches of the Moseley Road through Balsall Heath requiring the destruction of trees and the narrowing of footways . He/ petitioners believed the scheme would lead to a worse environment for pedestrian and cyclists. The petition asked that Birmingham City Council halt plans to widen parts of the Moseley Road in Balsall Heath.

The Senior Development Manager, Danny Gouveia responded to the issues raised by the petition, outlined the emerging scheme changes (mitigation measures) following consultation and the wider supporting evidence base for the project and the conclusions of the Officers Petition Panel.

The Senior Development Manager advised the committee that a meeting had been arranged next week with Birmingham Friends to discuss the issues raised in the petition.

The Chair added that all matters identified by the Officers Petition Panel would be investigated.

Further to enquiries regarding the proposed station on the Camp Hill Line at Balsall Heath, it was noted that a briefing note on the station would be provided to the committee.

Resolved :

1.    That the petition submitted by Birmingham Friends of the Earth raising objections to the A435 Alcester Road/Moseley Road and Highgate Middleway Bus Revitalisation project be noted;

2.    That no further action be taken on the petition based upon the mitigations proposed and the findings of the Officer Petition Panel be agreed;

3.    That the full implications of the proposals, including consultation responses and the issues raised within the petition be considered with a full business case by the TfWM Network Programme Board and Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment be noted;

4.    That a final decision to proceed with the project be retained by Birmingham City Council as Local Highway Authority via the Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment be noted and

5.    That the petition be submitted to the Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment (to include the decision and findings of this committee) for representation in final decision making on the scheme be agreed.