Inside West Midlands Police cells as nuisance driving continues after fatal week

West Midlands Police stepped up patrols this weekend after another fatal week on Birmingham's roads as officers speak of "entirely understandable" community concern

West Midlands Police has revealed they arrested a number of people for driving offences this weekend after increased patrols across the region. The force stepped up patrols after a fatal week in Birmingham and increasingly urgent calls for a crackdown from every city and regional authority on reckless driving.

On Thursday September 19, a 53-year-old man died after being struck by a lorry on Pershore Road at the height of rush hour. Just the day before, a motorcyclist died following a hit-and-run on Coventry Road on Wednesday afternoon. A 27-year-old man was arrested in connection the fatal incident on September 19, police confirmed.

Police officers were out at speeding hotspots across the West Midlands this weekend as they continue their safety operation, which has the goal of reducing road deaths and serious injury to zero under Vision Zero.

READ MORE: Birmingham driver caught doing 68mph in a 30mph zone as police hit roads after two deaths

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As of Sunday September 22, there were ten people in cells after being arrested for driving offences.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We currently have 10 people in cells across for the force for driving offences. At our Perry Barr block, we have two men, aged 34 and 41, in custody, both arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

"There's another two men being held in Coventry, aged 32 and 35, one on suspicion of drink driving, and the second on suspicion of drink driving , driving whilst disqualified and without insurance, and failing to provide a specimen.

"At Wolverhampton there's four men in custody - aged 41, 36, 28, and 25 - all arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, and the 25-year-old also arrested for failing to stop and driving without insurance.

"We also have two men being held in Bloxwich, aged 39, and 25, both arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. In the West Midlands, we have set the goal to reduce road death and serious injury to zero under Vision Zero.

"We are working with communities and partners and are aware of their entirely understandable concern."

Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency

Child poverty is soaring in Birmingham and without urgent change, will only get worse. Having worked with charities and community groups, BirminghamLive is campaigning for the following changes to start to turn the tide:

1. End the two-child benefit cap
2. Provide free school meals to every child in poverty
3. Create a city “aid bank” for baby and child essentials
4. Protect children’s and youth services
5. Create permanent, multi year Household Support Fund and give more Discretionary Housing grants
6. Set up child health and wellbeing hubs in our most deprived neighbourhoods
7. Appoint a Birmingham child poverty tsar
8. Provide free public travel for young people

You can see why in more detail here.

Read our full report Birmingham: A Child Poverty Emergency here.

What you can do to help.

BirminghamLive has covered the work of campaigners this year who are pushing for a "state of emergency" to be declared around Birmingham's roads. This call was pulled sharply into focus again this week after two deaths on the roads.

Earlier this month, we listed the total number of people killed on the roads and spoke to Better Streets for Birmingham, who issued the sobering message that it could be "any one of us" next if urgent action is not taken.

The list of those killed on our roads so far this year includes a a "fiercely independent" 91-year-old and an "extraordinary" four-year-old, described as full of life and joy by her bereft family. You can read more on what is being done to tackle dangerous driving in our full report, here.