Protesters are calling for safer roads following the tragic death of a three-year-old woman who ran a car into a “dangerous” crosswalk.
Today, activists are gathering on Redding Lane, blocking sidewalks and reporting intrusive parking lots to police in an attempt to draw attention to what they consider a harmful 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 in a pedestrian crossing at the scene. 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 roads remains and is not easy. Action must be taken against violators through increased civil law enforcement, the construction of bollards in the region and a replacement of regulations by the next government. 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 cross-group Friends of Reddings Lane Park, told BirminghamLive their fight for the protection of roads in the domain is not new. “Since 2018, we have worked tirelessly alongside city council, police and now schools, dedicating our hearts and souls to advocating for safer roads in our community,” she 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 that we still see drivers carelessly parking on sidewalks, not realizing the danger they pose to others. Every day, we witness the chaos caused by such inconsiderate 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 cae. su car on the sidewalk, endangering the lives of cyclists, pedestrians, and children. Let’s come together as a network to prevent this reckless habit and keep everyone who fills our roads safe.
Kirsten de Vos, director of campaigns 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 children. No threat to children, death, or serious injury when 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 crusading road protection organization set to launch in 2022. The organisation, which now has several hundred members, has organized street protests across the city in driving hotspots and in reaction to car accidents .
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