The Liberal Democrats' petition was handed into Solihull Council at the Environment & Infrastructure Cabinet Portfolio Holder’s Decision Session on the 19th of March.
The petition triggered the council carrying out an investigation into re-opening the crossing. The findings of that investigation were discussed at Thursday’s Environment & Infrastructure Cabinet Portfolio Holder’s Decision Session. Papers produced for the meeting indicated an intention that the crossing should remain closed.
A couple of residents made deputations at the meeting in favour of re-opening the crossing.
Councillor Kathryn Thomas, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environment & Infrastructure, also spoke in favour of reopening, highlighting the original consultation report’s mixed responses, the crossing being well used, the fact the decision was against one of the A41 Road Safety Project’s key aims: reducing severance and that the approach was inconsistent to other projects where pedestrian ‘desire lines’ were given top priority.
After listening to all the evidence and arguments presented, the Cabinet Member made the decision that the crossing wouldn’t be re-opened in its current form, but that a request for a signal-controlled crossing at this location would go forward to the Local Network Improvement Plan decision making process (in November).
There is no guarantee that the scheme will score high enough to secure funding and be implemented in November. However, without the Lib Dem petition to kick-start the discussion and without the speakers at the meeting, the crossing would definitely have remained closed. Now the way has been opened to potentially secure a safer crossing in this location.
Solihull and Meriden Liberal Democrats
We represent Liberal Democrat Members, Volunteers, Campaigners, Councillors and Candidates within the Local Authority area of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
The Local Authority area straddles three separate parliamentary constituencies - the Solihull West and Shirley constituency, the Meriden and Solihull East constituency and the two Solihull wards in the Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North constituency.
Liberal Democrats in Solihull and Meriden have a long record of action for the community, fighting hard for local residents on issues that are important to local residents.
