The past year has seen a number of high profile road traffic collisions - many of which have been fatal. I’m here today on Great Charles Street Queensway where Better Streets of Birmingham are demanding action on what they call a senseless loss of life.
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00:00 And can I get your biggest possible shout for anyone who wants to see an end to the
00:09 senseless loss of life on our city's roads in collisions.
00:19 I think people are out here supporting this event that's been organised by Better Streets
00:24 for Birmingham because of their concern for road safety and the fact that the people losing
00:33 their lives being killed and seriously injured on our roads is something that we all want
00:38 to bring an end to.
00:41 Supporters of Better Streets for Birmingham demand that dangerous drivers be removed from
00:46 the roads and penalties for vital road occurrences be stricter.
00:50 They want the streets laid out in a manner that ensures safety for all who use them.
00:55 Better Streets for Birmingham is clear in its demands for prompt action from authorities.
01:02 Well I think plainly enforcement is important and West Midlands Police needs to play its
01:07 part in reducing the number of people who are tragically and avoidably killed and seriously
01:12 injured on our roads and that involves rebuilding community policing, it involves strengthening
01:17 the road harms prevention team and also establishing the road crimes team as well and also making
01:24 sure that West Midlands Police are participating in enforcement operations such as close pass
01:29 and multi-agency road safety operations, drink and drug driving enforcement and Operation
01:35 Hercules that deals with street racing.
01:38 A local community speed watch has been suggested to me by the police, however the only thing
01:46 that can be done about that, the only possible outcome with the speed, standing in the street
01:51 with a speed gun and catching people that way is that they will get a sternly worded
01:57 letter.
01:58 I don't want a stern, we don't want a sternly worded letter, we want action to take people
02:03 who do that off the roads or give at least give them points on their licences which is
02:08 the only thing that is really going to make them abide by the law because of fear of losing
02:16 their licence.
02:17 This is a criminal activity.
02:20 An incredible show of passion and determination by the members of Better Streets for Birmingham
02:25 making it clear today that they won't stop fighting for safer streets across the region.
02:31 The message today, no more meaningless deaths on our roads.
02:36 I think it's really important that all of us make sure that preventing, reducing, tackling
02:43 crime and antisocial behaviour and reducing the number of people who are killed and seriously
02:49 injure our roads tragically and avoidably is a top priority and we all need to make
02:54 sure that we work towards ensuring that we deal with those matters and treat them with
02:59 the seriousness which they need and deserve.
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