Road Safety Advocates Criticize New West Midlands Transport Roles

Advocates for road safety have voiced criticism regarding two recently established transport commissioner positions, stating they “not reflecting the scale of the challenge.” West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker initiated a recruitment process for a road safety commissioner and an active travel commissioner for the region, with both roles designated for one day of work per week. However, Better Streets for Birmingham expressed its view that this change represents a reduction in scope compared to the previous cycling and walking commissioner role. The mayor’s office countered, explaining its intention to avoid wasting taxpayer funds by duplicating responsibilities already handled by Transport for West Midlands. Each of the two new commissioners is set to receive an honorarium of £200 daily. The campaign group asserted that “the scale and complexity of the road safety challenge is vast for a part-time volunteer,” also noting that cycling and walking initiatives were lagging five years behind schedule. Concerns were also raised that the active travel commissioner position saw its working days decrease from three per week to one, alongside a pay reduction exceeding 40%. Martin Price, policy lead for Better Streets for Birmingham, commented that “many residents will be rightly disappointed that while London can pay £110,000 a year for their active travel commissioner, the West Midlands could only find £20,000 for two roles.” He further stated, “These roles do not reflect the scale or urgency of the challenge.” Mr. Parker, who introduced a Regional Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030 at the National Road Safety Conference on Wednesday, clarified that the roles were “purposefully distinct from our full-time staff positions.” He elaborated that the West Midlands Combined Authority already employs a dedicated road safety manager, “supported by colleagues across our organisation who are fully committed to road safety.” Mr. Parker also highlighted that his authority is the sole one of its kind in the country to have a dedicated road safety commissioner, and these individuals would collaborate closely with West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster. A spokesperson representing the mayor suggested that most individuals would consider “around £200 a day for a voluntary role a good wage.” The road safety action plan encompasses 23 measures aimed at enhancing safety on West Midlands roads. These measures include funding for additional staff to review dashcam and speed camera footage, as well as collaborative efforts with local authorities to design safer streets.