The Bleak, Barren, Backward Black Country in a modern, civilised, developed, First World Nation!

Hi Beccy - and copied to another key player, Ninette (Sustainability Lead Strategy & Transformation at the NHS Trust.  The Trust HQ is only 500 m from the UK's longest, urban-rural-urban cycle-walkway but was not the first.)

Thank you for your note.  You wrote, you are "working with our partners at Sustrans and Dudley Council to arrange a session to discuss."

I would ask that you please include me in your session as someone who, last decade, started alerting the authorities to the quite disgraceful state of our 1980s Black Country Cycle-Walk Mudway.  Since then, things have only got worse in the Dudley section with former councillor, Chris Barnett, in recent months, reporting the presence of not only dirt/quad bikes but also 4x4s.  Chris might also be included to make use of his expertise, please.

Last decade, I was invited to a very well attended meeting called by Chief Officer, Matt Williams who has now moved on from Dudley MBC.  He was based at the Lister Road Depot, so the meeting was held there.  However, no changes or improvements were seen - only further deterioration.

Dudley's section of this important active travel route must be seen in its context of surrounding landfill hills that are popular with the dirt/quad bikers and the 4x4s.  The whole vast area has no security whatsoever and is a complete free for all.  Yet, it is contaminated and, with dangerous gases emitted.  Public rights of way (PROW) also cross it but one path is impossible to find on the ground.  Therefore, perhaps Dudley's Local Access Forum needs to be informed and included in the meeting.

I think the very many years of neglect by the authorities over this vast area between Gornal Wood and Kingswinford and next to the Dudley owned and popular Himley Hall, might well have led to the arson attack and bulldozing of the 'Crooked House' in August 2023.  It is a lawless and a 'wild west' land that the authorities lost any interest in a very long time ago. This includes the Police to whom I complained when I was threatened and abused by the quad bikers last month on this same cycle-walkway from Barrow Hill Nature Reserve, next to Russells Hall Hospital.  Even the Police are powerless to act, it seems and don't want to know!