Redditch is beautiful at this time of year, the trees in autumn giving us all a treat.

I was walking in woods around Redditch this weekend and was struck by how lucky we are to live in a town where planners had thought about the environmental aspects of life and not just the basics.

We have generally safe roads where pedestrians are kept away from traffic and we have a modern shopping centre with good car parking and a modern hospital.

However, that does not mean that as a new town we are without our problems.

Parking in some of the estates is inadequate and broad well-built roads can encourage drivers to drive too fast. We have too many cycle ways and footpaths where hedges are overgrown or block out, light making them feel unsafe.

These are localised problems that can be tackled locally.

The structure of the town is good and I hope the county and borough councils will focus on these issues so we have no downside to living in Redditch.

I was talking to people in Brockhill on Friday.

Among the issues they raised with me was that of speeding traffic. In particular it was felt that Apple Tree Lane was becoming dangerous.

I have taken up the matter with the county council seeking some traffic calming measures.

This is not the first time speeding has been raised with me. Rough Hill Drive, Grangers Lane and Coldfield Drive were mentioned to me recently as other roads with a speeding problem.

I will do what I can to secure good design, effective traffic management and ask the police to monitor the situation but the best thing that could be done is that everyone just slows down a bit. Being a considerate driver costs nothing but it can really make a difference, particularly when driving in residential areas like Brockhill.