National Trust wants up to 20 green corridors

Dear Kathryn and Hilary - and copied to the three council leaders, my MP and the WMCA.  For all to follow up, to work together to show a little enthusiasm, positivity and, sheer pleasure at doing something sensible and co-operatively - PLEASE!

You, Kathryn came up with that great idea of a West Midlands National Park, as areas of open spaces, next to the conurbation.  Now we have the Director-General, Hilary McGrady of the National Trust, writing in the current, summer magazine of green corridors linking built up areas.  On page 69 she writes of the NT creating "up to 20 new 'green corridors'.  Paths from inner cities through parkland and farmland into wild landscapes and National Parks.  Corridors that will be great for people and give nature space to thrive."

I would like to suggest that the first part of the W Mids NP to be our 32 sq Kms that forms a natural Golden Green Triangle.  It has the NT owned Clent Hills Country Park on one side.  The rest is farmland, parkland, woodland, fishing ponds and, the foothills of the 1,000 feet high Clent Hills.  A triangle of three main roads to the west of the M5 between Jcts 3 and 4.  A much needed national park to stop roads and buildings on fresh land, for growing our food and for recreation.

Please, work together so that both of you achieve your ambitions here in the West Midlands.  You, Kathryn with your National Park, Hilary with her green corridor on the 137 year old Halesowen Railway from Halesowen to Longbridge.  Halesowen is in the Black Country and Longbridge is in Birmingham.  It is an 8 Kms route either side of the M5 that goes through a subway beneath the M5 that takes a public right of way next to the old railway line, now obliterated at that point.  There are 4.5 Kms on the Halesowen side and 3.5 Kms on the Longbridge side that is already open and in use with various names for its different sections.  Just the far eastern end is still being worked on, by St Modwen at Longbridge Business Park.  I'm proposing the name that footpath author, Roy Burgess has chosen, viz. the Dowery Dell Trail.  Like the three Peak District trails on old railway lines - Tissington, High Peak and Monsall.

The public subway is between Jct 3 and 4 of the M5, in Worcestershire County Council.  The northern section is in Dudley MBC, the historic capital of the Black Country.  The eastern section comes under Birmingham City Council.  Find it on the Ordnance Survey Explorer maps 219, 220.  Most of the green corridor is in Worcestershire.  One, first section, of 600 metres is already open and much walked.  All other sections are private and would need negotiating with landowners to become permissive paths, as I have done with the first section.  However, the professionals now need to takeover, please.

PLEASE, COULD ALL OF YOU REPLY, - even positively?  And, with some pleasure, too at doing something so popular! 

Best wishes

Tim