How we keep our roads safe

Physical or engineered traffic calming measures could include:

• road humps or speed cushions
• table-top road humps
• road or junction narrowing
• traffic splitter islands or roundabouts
• chicanes or build-outs; and
• prohibited movements

We consult residents and road users before we install permanent traffic calming measures.

Physical traffic calming should be considered a last resort and it will only be offered if other options have failed to reduce the number of people getting hurt.

The need for a new pedestrian crossing can be identified a number of different ways:

• following analysis of road traffic collisions
• through our Safer Routes to Schools initiative
• as part of another road improvement scheme
• through requests from residents, local representative groups and Ward Members
• requested or offered as part of a private development project approved through the planning process.

A policy has been developed to ensure a fair and consistent assessment, and to help us treat the highest risk sites first.

At all times we have to consider the implications of a new crossing facility as it can sometimes result in long delays for traffic or increase the risk to pedestrians.

If a new pedestrian crossing is considered appropriate and feasible it will then need to be subjected to the Local Transport Plan prioritisation process which determines which schemes receive funding each year.

We provide School Crossing Patrols, or lollipop men and women, to help children and other pedestrians to cross the road safely whilst they are walking to and from school.

How do we decide where to place a School Crossing Patrol?

We follow guidelines produced by Road Safety GB as the criteria for providing School Crossing Patrols. The guidelines focus on the busiest 30 minute period of the day and are broadly based on the number of child pedestrians and the number of vehicles.

Services are provided based on the availability of funding and the relative priority of one site over another.

Are all drivers legally required to stop for a School Crossing Patrol?

It is an offence for a driver to fail to stop for a School Crossing Patrol wearing the official uniform and displaying the STOP sign. It is also an offence for a driver to move off whilst the patrol is still in the road.

Failure to comply could result in a fine up to £1,000 and 3 points on your licence.

How to become a School Crossing Patrol officer

Working as a School Crossing Patrol officer is an opportunity to serve your local community and it can be very rewarding. Post holders receive full training, a salary and ongoing support.

If you are interested please have a look at the vacancies page for more information or contact us.

As the Local Highway Authority we have a duty to manage the road network for the benefit of all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians. This includes setting speed limits in line with current guidance.

For more information about our approach to setting speed limits please contact us.

Speed monitoring

We regularly monitor vehicle speeds across the road network, both in response to requests from the public as well to inform the development of potential schemes.

We can carry out both 100 vehicle spot checks as well as full 7 day monitoring depending on the type of issue being reported. 100 vehicle spot checks are undertaken by our Highways Team and provide an indication of vehicles speeds on a like for like basis.

If necessary, a full 7 day monitoring using an automatic traffic counter can then be undertaken to gain a fuller understanding of traffic behaviour.

Community Speed watch is a community driven road safety initiative which empowers community volunteers to address their concerns about inappropriate traffic speed around their places of work and/or residence, with the support of the police.

This initiative is led by West Midlands Police, who will work with trained volunteers from the community to monitor speeds of vehicles with approved speed detection devices.

Where speeds are found to be inappropriate and the driver identified the police can contact the individual to encourage them to reduce their speed when driving in the future. The purpose is to reduce harm and the fear of harm, while improving overall road user behaviour on the road network.

Contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team for further information on initiatives in your areas.

Speed Aware is a Council led initiative that involves the use of small electronic warning signs, known as ‘SpeedVisors’.

These signs are deployable signs, which are mounted to existing lamp columns and alert drivers to their speed and encourage greater compliance with the speed limit.

We install SpeedVisors in response to requests from residents about inconsiderate speeding and have a programme in place which rotates them around sites across the borough on a 4 weekly basis.

A copy of this year’s programme can be found here.

Additional measures can be installed to help reduce speeding such as Police Speed Check and Check Your Speed posters.

To request a SpeedVisor please contact us at highwayservices@solihull.gov.uk.

Solihull Council’s Vulnerable Road User Group is a group of residents and council staff who work together as a ‘critical friend’ to understand issues of safety for our most vulnerable road users, and how to make things safer for them. This involves considering the particular needs of children, older people and people with disabilities when using the borough’s streets and roads.

Visit the Vulnerable Road User Group webpage for further information and how to join the group.