Protesters are calling for safer roads following the tragic death of a three-year-old woman who crashed into a car at a “dangerous” pedestrian crossing.
Today, activists are gathering on Redding Lane, blocking sidewalks and reporting intrusive parking to the police in an attempt to draw attention to what they see as a damaging stretch of road. Activists say sidewalk parking contributed to the death of little Maysoon Abdul-Hakeem in November 2021, who died after being hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing at the site. Driver Labib Choudhury, 25, pleaded guilty to driving without a car.
Local campaign teams Friends of Reddings Lane Park and Better Streets for Birmingham say unsafe parking on the roads is still and not easy. Action must be taken against violators through increased civil law enforcement, the construction of bollards in the region, and a replacement of the next government’s regulations. which would absolutely prohibit this practice.
Starting at 2 a p. m. de today, protesters will stand on the sidewalk near a local school and plan to report any drivers suspected of parking unsafely or intrusively to police, hoping to pile up trouble and fines for violators. Reddings Lane, which serves 3 other schools, be designated as a school zone, they claim, which would see it closed to cars at pick-up and drop-off times.
Farina Chaudri, president of the crusader group Friends of Reddings Lane Park, told BirminghamLive that her fight for road protection in the domain is not new. “Since 2018, we have worked tirelessly together with city hall, law enforcement, and now schools, dedicating our hearts and souls to advocating for safer roads in our community,” he said.
The president of the group, which works with local schools to reduce the risks students face due to cars and busy roads at the start and end of the school day, said, “We have witnessed escalating problems, reckless speeding and lack of fares. “for our children The pain and grief only intensified when a valuable child lost his life in the crosswalk in 2021.
“But what breaks our hearts is still seeing drivers carelessly parking on sidewalks, not realizing the dangers they pose to others. Every day, we witness the chaos caused by those reckless actions. Sidewalks are blocked, drivers are obstructed, and pedestrians remain vulnerable to the dangers of oncoming traffic.
“This is a heartbreaking truth that we can no longer ignore. Together with Better Streets, we strongly urge all driving forces to take a moment to reflect on the effect of their actions. Don’t be the driving force that suddenly falls. car on the sidewalk, endangering the lives of cyclists, pedestrians and children. Let us come together as a network to prevent this reckless habit and keep everyone who fills our roads safe.
Kirsten de Vos, campaigns director for Better Streets for Birmingham, shares a similar sentiment: “Too many other people drive and park illegally and dangerously on roads near schools. Better Streets for Birmingham highlights the threat this poses to young people. No child threatens death or serious injury while walking or biking to or from school We need everyone to be able to move safely around our city.
Better Streets for Birmingham is a road safety crusade organisation that started in 2022. Now with several hundred members, the organization has organized street protests across the city at driving hotspots and in reaction to car accidents.
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