to Cycling UK

Hi Connor

Thanks so much for getting back to me.

I am not wanting funding from yourselves but from Active Travel England and West Midlands Combined Authority (Beccy Marston)!  However, your action, please, to get the missing NCR number for easily the UK's most important, business, commuter, leisure route in the very middle of England, with its over 2 million West Midlands population!

Very important because it is an urban-rural-urban cycle-walkway connecting three large council areas on two unused railway lines.  Yet, after all these years of asking the authorities and yourselves there is still no interest - apart from one excellent former Labour councillor (climber and big cyclist) who has identified a superb circular route to take in three of the four Black Country boroughs and the 2,768 metre long Netherton Canal Tunnel, with its slum disgrace of a flooded, pot holed towpath.  His circular route includes our 18 Kms Black Country Cycle-Walkway!

I've even had a phone conversation with Duncan Dollimore but, still nothing!  Duncan does not agree with me over its importance and scandalous neglect.

Very important because it is longer than the 1970s Bristol to Bath railway path and, it was made into a cycle path I think in the 1980s, certainly in the 5 Kms Dudley section and has been neglected ever since in Dudley by Dudley MBC.  Now it is a dirt bikers, quad bikers, 4x4 paradise after the drought this year!  Law-abiding active travellers get inconvenienced and even excluded because of the dirt bikers brigade and 4x4s.

Very important because South Staffordshire District Council has, this year completed the tarmacking of their section through Wombourne town.  Everyone is delighted!

Easily the most important cycle-walkway because even famous John Grimshaw (founder of Sustrans) and Caroline Levett have ridden it and agree it must be an oversight regarding the missing NCR number.  That was this year, on the 24 March but nothing since then, even from them and their Greenways and Cycle Routes organisation!  Never a reply.

Very important because it has so many names over its 18 Kms length, plus three nature reserves, two cafe in two Victorian railway stations and a Woodland Trust property.  All it lacks is the King coming up from the Palace to walk, cycle or horse ride it!  Part is called the Monarch's Way, too, after a previous King Charles (no 2)!

Best wishes

Tim  (walker, cyclist, whistleblower)