Work is just being completed today to erect beautiful oak sign posts through Sutton Park to signpost walkers, cyclists and the disabled along the main Sustrans National Cycle Network routes 535 and 534 (which meet at Holly Hurst) and also the directions to the various park Gates and the Visitor Centre. This work, part of the Sustrans/BCC/Big Lottery Connect2 scheme, forms one of the missing links between the existing route 535, which runs from Banners Gate to Birmingham City Centre, and Sutton Coldfield town centre.

The last post going in at Wydley Gate

A newly installed post at Town Gate

Works have also commenced to create a new shared walking and cycling path between Wydley Gate and Clifton Road. This section passes the newly opened BMX/Skateboard park at Wydley Leisure Centre

The final section of route 534 between Sutton Park and New Hall Valley Country Park through Sutton Coldfield town centre is due to commence construction soon.

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The latest section of Connect2 route is now open between Pype Hayes Park and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Egerton Road (The red dashed section on the OpenCycleMap extract below). The route is mostly off road though joins some residential roads in the Pype Hayes estate. For those travelling from the north this section is now the shortest route for getting to the canal and on into  Birmingham.

The new section is signed (533) towards the canal and (534) towards Pype Hayes Park. National Cycle Network route 533 is the new route that will run along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal towpath from Minworth to Salford Junction (Spaghetti) and ultimately onwards to Digbeth via the Warwick and Birmingham Junction Canal/Grand Union canal (Part of the Heartlands Canal Ring).

Map extract from OpenCycleMap (OpenStreetMap data cc-by-sa 2.0)

The new Toucan crossing at Tyburn Road

The Birmingham and Fazeley canal at Egerton Road (Adjacent to KFC, Kingsbury Road)

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We had a fantastic turnout on Bank Holiday Monday 29th August despite an unseasonably chilling wind with walkers and cyclists arriving from around the region before the new section of route through Pype Hayes Park was officially opened by Councillor Timothy Huxtable, BCC Cabinet Member for Transportation and Regeneration. Cyclists came in from Solihull to join the celebrations and Friends of Rectory Park walkers used the new routes to reach Pype Hayes from Rectory Park. New Hall Mill was thereafter very busy searing refreshments and great interest was show an the event stands in Pype Hayes Park and New Hall Mill.

Those organisations involved included, BCC, Sustrans & its volunteer rangers, Eco Sutton, Ramblers Association, Birmingham Trees For Life & SE Fitness,

At the event, BCC launched the Bike North Birmingham programme and the latest Public Consultation Document for the next section of walking and cycling route through Sutton Town Centre.

Thanks to all who turned out and those that helped and made it such a fantastic day!

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The consultation response can also be filled in and submitted online rather
than using the FREEPOST form attached to the consultation document.

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Plans are well advanced now for the Walking and Cycling Day 10 till 4 on August bank Holiday Monday 29th. An early draft of whats planned can be found here and the promotional signs as below are going up to day. Hope to see lots there on Monday!

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Andy Robinson has created a new map of the open sections of cycle route (NCN534). You can download a high resolution PDF version copy from here

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See the full gallery on Posterous

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The finishing touches are now being put to the new section of Connect2 walking and cycling route through Pype Hayes. Tar and chip surfacing is going down alongside the brook and styme gates and final fencing being erected.

On the separate section of new route that will cross the Tyburn Road into Sorrel Park, preparation work has started for the new Toucan crossing.

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On the Pype Hayes section of new walking and cycling route the contractor has this week entered the final main element of work with the laying of the asphalt base. Around 50% of this base has been completed and the final link to Eachelhurst Road has been prepared so we can now start to look forward to final completion and handover by the contractor at the beginning of August.

More photos here

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Well done to Richard Leonard and the BCC and stakeholder team that has successfully secured the LSTF 'Bike North Birmingham' Small Scheme Bid.

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The latest phase of Connect2 walking and cycling route construction has entered the final month of work. The section alongside Plants Brook through Pype Hayes Park between Penns Lane and Eachelhurst Road just needs its final asphalt surfacing and footpath upgrades on Eachelhurst Road are underway. New signs have been erected between Eachelhurst Road and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Woodlands Farm/Hansons Bridge Road and various other minor improvements for access to Castle Vale completed. All is on course for final handover by the contractors at the beginning of August. 

See the full gallery on Posterous

 

For more photos of progress see here

 

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See the full gallery on Posterous

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See the full gallery on Posterous

More photos

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Birmingam City Council is making a Small Scheme Bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The proposed project, titled 'Bike North Birmingham', would build on the existing and new cycle routes currenty under construction as Connect2 to link railway stations and retail centres in North Birmingham to the main spine routes.

Local Sustainable Transport Fund - 'Bike North Birmingham' Small Scheme Bid

Birmingham City Council (BCC) is working with local partners to transform walking and cycling in the North Birmingham area. We are doing this through physical improvements, such as new paths and improved signs, to create a comprehensive network of cycling and walking routes. This will be supported by campaigns and other initiatives to encourage people to walk and cycle
more. To pay for the improvements we are bidding for up to £5million from the Department for Transport (DfT) from the new Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF).

The attached map (click to enlarge) shows routes that we have identified for walking and cycling improvements as part of this bid. The existing walking and cycling routes in the area including those which we are already committed to building over the next few years through the ‘North Birmingham Walking & Cycling Route – Connect 2’ project are also shown.

The bid will build upon the successes already achieved in North Birmingham through recent investment in walking and cycling. One of the main aims of the bid is to improve walking and cycling facilities in the area including better routes, signs, safer crossings and other measures to improve the overall walking and cycling experience for local people.

These improvements will make it easier for everyone to travel in general. However, we are specifically aiming to make it easier to get to local services like schools and healthcare, the public transport network, retail and employment hubs such as local centres and recreational activities (i.e. Sutton Park and the New Hall Valley).

Another important part of the bid is the proposal for campaigns and initiatives to promote the improvements and try to change people’s behaviour towards more sustainable modes of travel, particularly cycling and walking. These will complement the infrastructure improvements and will
be targeted towards Schools, Workplace and Commuter Travel and marketing and enabling cycling.

Through encouraging people to travel using more environmentally friendly and sustainable modes we aim to:

• Promote a healthier and more active lifestyle for local people;
• Support the local economy by better connecting local business and
• employment hubs;
• Improve local air quality and lower carbon emissions; and
• Promote cycling as an affordable transport option, especially with
• rising cost of fuel.

The bid needs to be submitted by 18th April 2011 and we will find out in June 2011 if we have been successful.

Your support is very important to give this bid a good chance of success. Please provide your support to this bid by replying to this email no later than Monday 4th April 2011.

Alternatively you can write to:

Bike North Birmingham
Birmingham City Council
Transportation Strategy - Neighbourhood 20
1 Lancaster Circus
Queensway
Birmingham
B4 7DQ

The proposals being considered for inclusion in the bid are still at an early stage. If the bid is successful the proposals will need to be designed and planned in more detail and to do this we will be working closely with local communities, businesses and stakeholders. There will be
opportunities for you to influence the proposals as part of this process over the coming months. However, at this early stage your suggestions and general comments are very welcome along with your email or letter of support.

If the funding bid is successful, the first parts of the scheme could be introduced in early 2012. The scheme would be completed by early 2015.

Further information will be available next week on the following website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/bikenorthbirmingham

This site will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available. If you have specific questions about Bike North Birmingham you can email bikenorthbirmingham@birmingham.gov.uk or telephone (0121) 3037758.

Thank you in anticipation of your support in backing this important bid.

Yours faithfully,

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Work is forging ahead on the new section of cycle path between Penns Lane and Eachelhurst Road. The vegetation has been cut back/removed from the whole of the route and the section between Eachelhurst Road and the Cricket pitch cleaned down ready to receive hardcore and edge kerbing. Fencing to the rear of Oldacre Close is expected to get underway next week and hedge laying is underway from the Eachelhurst Road end as the photo shows.

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You can see the sections of new path under construction on OpenStreetMap (The dashed light-blue and white lines).

For the duration of the works access to the old footpath running south from Penns Lane is closed off.

If you have any questions about the work please send an email to info@connect2birmingham.org

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I am pleased to inform you that the City Council's Cabinet Property Committee has approved the next stage of the above scheme, that is the section of route south of Penns Lane alongside Plants Brook to the Eachelhurst Road. A route will branch off of this up into Pype Hayes Park to meet improvement works undertaken there in the Autumn of last year. Minor works and signage will also extend the route network along Woodlands Farm Road to the Birmingham and Fazeley canal at Hansons Bridge and beyond to link to the network of Project Wagtail routes on Castle Vale.

This scheme extends the works completed last year north of Penns Lane to the Newhall Valley Country Park. A signalled crossing of Penns Lane is also now in place. This scheme has been widely welcomed.

The same contractors who undertook that scheme (UPM Tilhill) will be starting on site on Monday 14th February and be based at the Eachelhurst Road end of the site. Due to site limitations the scheme will take until the end of July to complete. During this 5 and a half month period the path directly alongside the brook will be closed off. There will still be free access into Pype Hayes Park but there will be no access through to Penns Lane.

Letters have been delivered today to residents living close to the scheme to inform them of the start of works. Fencing works are to be undertaken to some residents' garden boundaries immediately adjacent to the route between Penns Lane and Pype Hayes Park.

When this scheme is completed there will be a signed route all the way from Castle Vale to Rectory Road, Sutton Coldfield. A scheme is also being progressed to take a route via the Pype Hayes estate, with a new signalled crossing of the Tyburn Road to link to Sorrel park and then again to the canal at Egerton Road (the Berwood Lane bridge). We are aiming to get this scheme on site in the spring/early summer.

A new map will be produced showing all these new routes and we are considering a launch walking and cycling event on the August Bank Holiday.

Early stage investigations are also looking at linking the Newhall Valley to Sutton Park via Sutton Coldfield Town Centre, including a link to the station.

Note to those who currently use the path south of Penns Lane: For safety reasons there will be no public access alongside the brook between Pype Hayes Park and Penns Lane during the duration of the works. This map may help you identify an alternative route.

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Since the opening of the Penns Lane section in May, work has been progressing behind the scenes to get the next sections of the Connect2 spine route under way.

In the centre of Sutton Coldfield the project Streering Group, BCC and its consultants have been evaluating how the main spine route will cross the town centre to link South Parade to Sutton Park and tie into the town centre and Sutton Coldfield railway station. There is still lots for the design team to do before we might see consultation on the final proposals but at least this difficult section is moving ahead.

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The event, organised by the project Steering group, runs from 10am till 4pm and the highlight will be the Grand Opening of the newest section of route between Newhall Valley Country Park and Penns Lane. Other route sections are also open between Rectory Park and New Hall Valley Country Park as well as in New Hall Valley itself so come and explore by bike, on foot or wheelchair. The routes are signed and easy to follow.

Car parking available at Rectory Park, Bishop Walsh School in Wylde Green Road and the Ramada Javis Hotel in Penns Lane.

As well as the signed routes that you can explore on your own, other organised activities include:

• 12:00 noon - MASS WALK & CYCLE TO NEW PENNS LANE SECTION FOR GRAND OPENING OF ROUTE
• 10am Led walk—Sally Ellis Fitness
• 10am, 11am, 12:30 and 1:30pm - Led walks to and from New Hall Mill / Sutton Park Visitor Centre—contact Malcolm Dunn on 354-6996
• 11am & 2pm North Birmingham CTC—Led cycle ride between Penns Lane and Rectory park. Meet at New Hall Mill
• 1:00pm Sutton Coldfield Cricket Club match and Sutton United Football Club match both in Rectory Park.

• New Hall Mill Open —Tea Rooms Open for refreshments
• Rectory Park—Friends of Rectory Park activities and liquid refreshments
• Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Penns Lane—Sebastian Coe Leisure Club Open Day + Refreshments available. Car park open to visitors
• Have a go at Boxing! Rectory Park gym 11 till 3

You can download the flyer here (pdf), or pick up one on Monday from new Hall Mill, Rectory Park or the Ramada Jarvis Hotel

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