Residents of a Birmingham street cite crime, speeding, and problem housing as reasons for wanting to relocate.
I visited on February 5th. There was trouble at a boarded-up house. Someone swung an axe at police. Police arrested a man for assault. Locals told of crashes. Cars were broken into one night. Over twenty-five cars suffered damage.
New 20mph zones are coming. These zones will be near two schools. But one resident, after forty years, is selling. He said the area got worse. He feels it’s unsafe now. Crime is a big problem in the area.
One resident has seen drug deals. They happened on his own driveway. Police raided a home where they found drugs. He too says HMOs hurt the area. He lived there fifteen years.
Another resident has lived there for 46 years. Things get stolen all the time, he reports. Speeding causes constant issues. HMOs create a disastrous mix. He wants to move, but his mom lives there. Shops and schools are nearby.
Another person has visited the church for 40 years. She spoke of litter and families moving out. Parking and speeding are also problems. She says the neighborhood declined. People don’t want to live by HMOs.
Another resident reported car window smashing. Rubbish and parking are a problem. People should store bins properly. Many crashes happen at one junction. Maybe traffic lights would help there.
A councilor said they launched a safety plan in 2020. 20mph zones will come soon. These zones reduce traffic incidents. The police are aware of resident concerns. They patrol the City Road area often.
Police had reports of damage. Five reports came on January 9th. They are checking CCTV and houses. Report any crime to the police. They also attended a local meeting.
They plan a partnership day on February 18th. They will work with many groups. These include council and health workers. They will address issues raised locally. The plan involves visible police patrols too.