Posted on 28 Aug 2020

A Birmingham councillor has voiced his concern about the impact of the city’s Emergency Transport Plan on the Gay Village.

Speaking to Midlands Zone, Erdington councillor Gareth Moore said: “The council has closed off access to the Gay Village from Bristol Street at Essex Street, Bromsgrove Street and Wrentham Street. This means any vehicular traffic now has to access the Gay Village from the Sherlock Street/Pershore Street side. This is part of the Emergency Transport Plan that the council has adopted for the city centre to try and stop car use.

“Both Southside BID and businesses are not happy about this, as it is now harder for people to access the Gay Village, and I’m sure it will make getting a taxi as part of a night out much more difficult, too. 

“Given the recent concerns about safety, I am surprised that the council have still gone ahead with this. I have been raising concerns about these plans for some time with the cabinet member as soon as the detail became known, but these have been ignored.”

Councillor Moore said that he is due to meet with the Leader of Birmingham City Council, Ian Ward, next week in the hope of resolving the problem quickly.