A major UK region is set to turn all roads in the area to 30mph or less after data revealed that speed cameras and tougher police enforcement have caused fewer casualties and fatalities on roads.
West Midlands Combined Authority revealed that more than 100 fewer people were killed or seriously injured on roads in the region in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year.
The decrease in incidents has marked a major step forward in the region’s efforts to improve road safety, with research finding an 18 per cent reduction since the implementation of the West Midlands Road Safety Action Plan, which launched in November 2024.
The plan included increased enforcement action against speeding and dangerous driving, alongside more targeted efforts to crack down on offences.
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PA | Birmingham City Council plans to turn all roads across the region to 30mph or less by the end of the year
According to the latest figures from West Midlands Police, 471 people were killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads between January and June 2025, marking a drop from 575 during the same period in 2024.
Majid Mahmood from Birmingham City Council explained that the authority has been making the speed limit on "virtually all roads a maximum of 30mph", with hopes that the remaining roads will be changed later this year.
The council has also been working with police on red light cameras and has announced six new locations for average speed cameras across the city.
Mayor Richard Parker said: "I've met families who've lost loved ones to dangerous driving and witnessed the heartbreak it causes. That's why road safety is a top priority for me and why I appointed Mat [MacDonald, Road Safety Commissioner] to help turn our plans into real change."
PA | Drivers can be fined £100 for speeding on UK roads He warned that every life lost is "one too many", with police and enforcement teams still having "much work to do".
He added: "The latest data shows the action plan we put in place last year is beginning to get results. So far this year, 100 fewer people have lost their lives or been seriously injured, that’s 100 families spared the heartbreak that comes with road traffic collisions."
A key factor in bringing down road incidents was tripling speed enforcement in the region, with June recording 3,781 offences captured by mobile enforcement vans, 4,582 captured on motorway speed cameras and 28,287 offences recorded on the average speed enforcement network.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford stated: "We have significantly invested in policing our region’s roads over the last two years, and are absolutely committed to working with partners to bring down the number of people killed and seriously injured."
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He explained that the region has been stepping up speed enforcement and reviews of dashcam footage to identify dangerous drivers who have subsequently been fined.
Guildford noted: "Our dedicated Roads Policing teams work to save lives and prevent serious injury by focusing on the main contributing factors to fatal and serious injury accidents. This isn’t about 'persecuting innocent motorists' but about changing long-term driving behaviours through education and enforcement."
The region has also begun funding and rolling out more average speed cameras, red light cameras and other enforcement initiatives.
More school streets schemes were also introduced to block traffic around schools at the start and end of each day to create a safer environment for pedestrians.
PA | Speed cameras have helped catch out drivers breaking the law
Regional Road Safety Commissioner Mat MacDonald shared that the drop in deaths and serious injuries "is fantastic news".
"We will continue to observe the data over the coming years in the hope that this is the beginning of a long overdue trend in these grim statistics," he added.
Meanwhile, Simon Foster, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, shared: "The 18 per cent reduction is, of course, welcome. However, that number is clearly still far too high.
"I am not in the least complacent. We all need to continue, to collectively commit to constant and unremitting action, to do what it takes, to improve road safety in the West Midlands."