The tree, created by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) in partnership with members of a peer support group of families bereaved through road crashes, will be on the ground floor foyer of The New Art Gallery Walsall from 10-17 March 2026.
The tree, as part of a road safety campaign called ‘Zero Tolerance to Road Harm’, has been touring the West Midlands since November 2025, to raise awareness of road safety. The tree shares real stories from those affected by road harm.
Over 1,000 people were killed or seriously injured on West Midlands Combined Authority roads last year. The West Midlands Road Safety Partnership is working together through education, enforcement and victim support to make the region’s roads safer.
The public are invited to visit the installation and make a pledge to act on safer driving choices. Pledges can also be made on the TfWM website.
“ Every letter on the tree represents a real story from someone affected by road harm.
Councillor Suky Samra, Portfolio Holder for Street Scene
We are proud to have the Letter Tree at The New Art Gallery Walsall over the next week. This campaign moves from awareness to action, and we hope visitors to the Gallery will take a moment to pause, reflect and make a pledge or share their story. “
Walsall Council
“ The letter tree is a deeply moving work which offers a glimpse into the anguish, grief and yearning of losing a loved one on our roads.
Mat MacDonald
Every death in a traffic collision is a failure of the systems which are supposed to keep us safe. The bravery of contributors who shared their stories of the unthinkable human cost which we pay for such failure is beyond words.
We know these losses are preventable, so nobody should ever have to write a letter like this. The least we owe those who have generated this powerful message is to stop, listen, and create a future where nobody does. “
West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner
“ For those of us who have written letters for the tree, it is encouraging to see it moving across the region and being installed in Walsall. It is too late to change things for us, but our hope is that our words may help to spare others. Having a loved one's life taken in a road traffic collision is so painful there are not words to adequately describe it - together we need to tackle the complacency that exists towards road death and serious injury and reduce road danger. “
Lucy Harrison
Peer support group of families bereaved through road crashes
To find out more about Zero Tolerance to Road Harm, visit the TfWM website.
