Solihull councillors from across the political divide have backed a move for a share of money from speeding fines to be used to improve safety on the borough's roads.

The West Midlands region generates over £1.6 million per year in speeding fine revenue which is paid to HM Treasury with no share returned to local authorities.

At the latest full council meeting a Liberal Democrat motion proposed lobbying government to change the rules so that local authorities keep 50 per cent of fines cash.

And they called for the this money to be ring fenced for safety improvements including speed cameras and school safety schemes.

Introducing her motion Cllr Kathyrn Thomas said: "'Someone's going to get killed' – it's something you hear more often than you want to as a councillor in connection to speeding.

"Many of us have sat here in this chamber and listened to relatives share what it's like to lose a loved one to a speeding driver.

"Speeding is generally the issue that comes up the most when we speak to residents.

"We have tried self help with speed watch patrols – I personally clocked someone doing 63mph on a residential road with a 30mph limit.

"We need to unlock funding and this is where this motion comes in.

"It's about trying to secure a share of the revenue to reinvest in further improving the safety of roads."

Cllr Max McLoughlin, leader of the Green group on the authority, said: "The money goes to the treasury and we apply cap in hand for a fraction of it.

"50 per cent retained locally – not a radical demand – is the principle that the consequences of dangerous driving should fund the prevention of dangerous driving in the places where it actually happens."

Leader of the Conservative-run authority Cllr Karen Grinsell said: "As people have said there are people speeding when they shouldn't be.

"Anything we can do that encourages and ensures we receive more money can only be a good thing.

"I'm more than happy to write to whoever we need to."

Leader of the Reform UK group Cllr Samantha Gethen proposed an amendment saying the concern would be authorities would look to find ways to grow the pot, when the focus should be on genuinely dangerous driving.

"We are right behind the ask for funding but it (the amendment) puts guardrails around what the funding is actually for," she said.

Cllr Ken Hawkins, the cabinet portfolio holder for environment and infrastructure, said: "I can't support this, it goes too far, it doesn't need to be amended", before the amendment was defeated in a vote.

The motion then passed unanimously at the meeting held at the Civic Suite on July 7.