APPG CW - City of Cars Screening

At the start of June we joined the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking for a screening of Sarah Chandler’s City of Cars short film. The film documents in compelling fashion the story of dangerous driving in Birmingham and the impact on victims and communities. We were joined at the event by fellow members of the APPG including Emily Cherry MBE from the Bikeability Trust and Mat McDonald the founder of Better Streets For Birmingham and the region’s first Road Safety Commissioner.

The film highlighted the human cost on communities in Birmingham from poor driver behaviour, with statistics, like in 2014, four hundred and eleven people were killed or seriously injured (KSIs) in Birmingham; but by 2024 (when the film was made) that figure had risen to five hundred and thirty four - an increase of 30% in ten years. Sarah in her commentary noted that Birmingham’s Transport Plan 2031 sets out a vision for a city where more people walk, cycle or get about their neighbourhood under their own steam, reducing reliance on cars. Some progress has been made, including the redesign of the city centre giving pedestrians more space, and the creation of key cycle lanes such as the A38. But for most Brummies, ditching the car for active modes of transport remains a distant, if laudable and that for many residents, neighbourhood streets where children should be safe, feel inhospitable to anyone outside a car.  

There was general agreement with all present on the key themes the film highlights and the need for joined up and concerted effort to address the challenges. This included the key message of More Than A Cyclist, that we need to change driver behaviour, see people who cycle as human beings, as people of value and we also need to put effort into educating and role modelling the changes we want to see. 

More Than A Cyclist as a Birmingham based campaign is affiliated with Better Streets For Birmingham and would encourage everyone to watch Sarah’s powerful documentary.