to Judith Smith on RVNR Illey Lane

Dear Judith

Thank you for your kindness and support with our efforts in making the Illey Lane path an official public right of way and, for writing.

I was out there at 7.30 this morning and saw that the grass, bramble bush and woodland are now an official 'Roadside Verge Nature Reserve' (RVNR)  that I asked for.  Excellent!  However, the same notice stapled to a tree says there is "no public right of way or access".  This is not surprising but simply means we must continue to ask, especially our MPs and councillors and, the local parish councillors for their help and support.  My three Dudley councillors are David Vickers, Ray Burston and Alan Taylor for Halesowen South who all know me and of my concerns and might well cover Illey Mill that is in Dudley borough.  I must find out who the councillors and MP are for this Worcestershire section of Illey Lane.  Ruth Mullett who is Clerk to Romsley and Hunnington Parish Council, says it has nothing to do with her parish and does not want to hear from me or anyone else about Illey Lane.  She cannot tell me, however, which Worcestershire parish it does come under.  It must be hers, I think.

What access is there for other roadside nature reserves in Worcestershire, I wonder?  Very difficult to stop access, I would have thought with a roadside verge.  And very dangerous for all road users - vehicles and pedestrians - to insist that pedestrians must stick to the tarmac.

Why does ours meet the criteria for RVNR?  However, the notice says that the County Council should be putting up an information plaque, red and white posts and will develop "a specific management regime to benefit the special wildlife of that verge."  However, up to now, their management regime has meant, last year, tractors going down the grass section of the verge to wipe out the bluebells that were there in previous springs.  So much for nature conservation!

I want to ask the Ramblers for their help in this matter and, to ask if there is a precedent for any path being added as a public right of way to the vital definitive map - anywhere in the UK.

I also want to ask the Ramblers what the law says about a path that may have been walked in previous decades being reinstated in this.  People must have walked it in both directions in past centuries, I would have thought and not only on just the track that became a road.  Certainly, away from the road once the post and rail fence was put up with the increasing traffic on the narrow lane.  It was widened when the railway bridge was taken down, probably in the 60s or 70s.

Thank you for your agreement and help, Judith and for writing.  Much appreciated.

Best wishes

Tim