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This vision for a Neighbourhood Plan for the '3Bs' around #PerryBarr the Beeches, Booths and Barr is quite interesting. It's 102 pages long and doesn't identify the main problem with the area - too many cars. In fact the words 'car' or 'cars' appear twice. https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/economy/3bs-neighbourhood-plan-statutory-consultation/supporting_documents/Appendix%201%20%203Bs%20Neighbourhood%20Plan.pdf
Many of the problems identified - unattractive local centres, flooding caused by surface runoff, loss of front gardens, street trees & grass verges are the direct result of car dependence but the link is never made.
Very few of the ambitions in the document are possible without encouraging more sustainable transport choices and reducing the number of cars in the area, an area let's not forget, where councillors always object to public & active transport improvements.
The link to cars is never made, perhaps because it would require local residents to face up to uncomfortable truths. The document mentions that a few trees will be lost because of Sprint while also including photos of cars parked on dead grass verges & not making the connection.
As for the local centres, it doesn't take a genius to work out why they're hostile and unattractive but again, the cause isn't identified and instead the 'community action' that is encouraged is not to walk more or use public transport but to minimise loss of parking.
Note the motorway slip road style junction outside the primary school. Why is the solution to stick some trees on the triangular island rather than remodelling it as a simple T-junction & creating a larger green space outside the school where the Calshot Road label is on the map?
The document covers a lot of stuff on biodiversity but next to nothing on sustainability. The word 'cycle' appears once despite the presence of plenty of wide central reservations that are ideal for segregated cycle routes like the one on the A38. Such an idea is absent.
It barely mentions the necessity of public transport to enable street greening & improvements to the public realm. Often the only mention is when whinging about Sprint, which is exactly the kind of intervention the area needs to actually accomplish the ambitions in the document.
Stuff like this is stupid. How many people using the shops are passing through or travelling from far away to use them? Patrons will be almost entirely local. Through traffic does not help businesses & visibility from a big road is not advertising.
Also cool point 151. You can either make things attractive so people will actually want to visit or you can make them accessible to cars. Sure, go with the second one.
Finally, it's telling of the attitude of the authors that the athletes village & railway station in Perry Barr isn't included in the Neighbourhood Plan proposal.
Arguably the best example of what the plan allegedly wants to achieve - a 'sustainable garden suburb' is cut out of the neighbourhood entirely.
Right, flyover masturbators, pick a fight with me I dare you.
Which is better: as it is now, as proposed, or an alternative that creates a public square from excess road, improved crossings, safer traffic calming junctions, a spill out space for businesses, more trees while retaining parking for loading and disabled spaces? #TurnberryRoad
A few ideas for #TowerHill compared to now; central reservation cycle lane, new trees, space for a market, new development plot in orange, improved crossings & rain gardens separating the road from the public realm - a good way to address the level change near the post office too
If there was the political will, not to mention to money, a tree lined segregated cycle route in a widened central reservation could follow the Walsall Road all the way to the athletes' village. @WaseemZaffar
Also (yes I'm still annoyed at this) the trees lost to Sprint are only being lost because residents along the Walsall Road *who all have their own drives* didn't want to lose 233 out of the 371 on street parking spaces, so now only 45 are going.
The Design Support bit is pretty good but as mentioned, it's undeliverable without acknowledging much of the above. It's good probably because it was done by professionals at AECOM - amusingly they've been baselessly accused of things by some A34/Flyover loony group members.
