Birmingham Live readers have been discussing new plans for one-way streets set to be introduced as part of a controversial Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) scheme in Kings Heath.
The project, aimed at cutting “rat-running” through residential roads, has already divided opinion, with modal filters proving a particular flashpoint.
The council argues the measures will reduce car use in estates and make walking and cycling safer, though it admits the scheme has been “controversial” and has stirred “strong feelings both in favour and against.”
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So far, filters have been installed west of Kings Heath High Street and York Road has been turned pedestrian-only. The next phase would see the rollout extend to more streets in Kings Heath and parts of south Moseley.
To progress, the council must confirm the changes through Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) — the legal mechanism for reclassifying roads. These proposals include permanent modal filters, new one-way systems, and contraflow cycle lanes, alongside traffic calming on wider streets.
The plans have backing from NHS doctor Mat MacDonald, road safety commissioner for the West Midlands, who warned that pupils at four nearby schools currently face “danger, congestion and pollution” on their daily journeys.
Transport cabinet member Coun Majid Mahmood said the council had “listened to feedback” after seven rounds of consultation and had revised the scheme to reduce the number of filters, introduce more one-way systems, and target speeding issues.
He added: “Our city is growing – with this growth comes increased demand for transportation, but we cannot meet this demand by relying on only cars.”
Commenter Dominion thinks: “The negative knock on effect of this being, obviously, car drivers will go to other shopping areas where parking is easier and businesses in Kings Heath will suffer.”
Northfieldb31 replies: “Some people probably do this already, but Kings Heath has one of the highest occupancy rates in the city. And half of the LTN has been in for almost half a decade.”
Jennycat1 adds: “They just want to kill Kings Heath. They aren’t going to get people on buses or riding bikes to and from work etc. Kings Heath used to be great.”
Yel77 retorts: “It is still great. It’s one of the best areas to live in Birmingham. We should be very grateful.”
Notsilentmajority points out: “There are a very long list of reasons why, for a very large number of journeys, you need to drive. These anti-car measures don’t seem to work in terms of road safety, and inconvenience a lot of people for no real, tangible benefit.”
Yel77 disagrees: “This city is clearly not ‘anti car’. There’s barely any area of this city that’s not dominated by them and they are encroaching more and more on spaces not built for them.”
Wary71 says: “Once again a decision that makes little sense. Made by someone who is not affected. Traffic on King’s Heath high Street has been terrible since the original LTN introduced and lots more accidents happening as pedestrians attempt to cross the roads! The thing that was supposed not to happen due to LTN. Like it or not cars are the chosen method of transport for the majority of people and these calming methods do not appear to work.”
Yel77 replies: “There are residents of Kings Heath and Moseley who have long been campaigning for something to be done about an issue that impacts negatively on their community. It’s not some giant conspiracy. People are pretending this is a problem caused by LTNs, when it’s the over 3 million extra vehicles on our roads since 2010 that’s the cause.”
Aramaki agrees: “The first public meetings discussing LTN type scheme was in 2010, it was included in the resident led ward plan for nearly a decade before the central government covid funding was launched, which is mainly why they got it. And after the first phase the current councillors were elected in a landslide on a promise to implement and expand it. There’s been countless open public meetings & consultations over 5 years with countless amendments made to the plans with resident feedback and preferences.”
Talltoker’ believes: “Just another nail in the coffin for the high street, car drivers are an easy target for the government. They blame everything on cars, and charge as much as is possible for every inch we drive! The more roads that are closed or made one way might reduce a bit of traffic on some streets but chaos on others and that’s without the loss to local businesses.”
Sorrysmithersjones states: “Birmingham, for the second largest city in the country, has abysmal public transport. Maybe the council should think bigger to improve it, rather pushing traffic from one area only to make it worse somewhere else.”
The council says the new traffic scheme will benefit the city — do you agree, or is it a disaster waiting to happen? Have your say in our comments section.