A councillor said he hopes to see action as well as words to support an effort to map ‘Slow Ways’ across Lichfield and Burntwood.

Lichfield District Council will discuss a motion on the project started by “guerrilla explorer and geographer” Dan Raven-Ellison at the start of the year.

During lockdown, 700 volunteers across the country drafter more than 7,000 Slow Ways routes connecting Britain’s towns, cities and villages.

The plan is now for volunteers and groups to check over 100,000km of routes across the UK, including those in Lichfield district.

Steve Norman
Steve Norman

Labour group leader, Cllr Steve Norman, said:

“It is an amazing project and it is hoped that the draft map of routes, which includes roads as well as Public Rights of Way, can be published next month. 

“The Conservative group motion proposes support for the project so I am hoping the council will provide resources – and not just words – for the routes in Lichfield district. 

“For example, Labour councillors and local residents have called for a footpath between Burntwood and Lichfield along the A5190 – there have been serious accidents along the route in recent years. 

“I am hoping that the district council will be proposing to put pressure on the county council to provide a footpath along this unlit route and I will expect the Cabinet to provide funding from our climate change budget for this and for schemes elsewhere in the district.”  

Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council

The motion will be debated by the full council on 15th December.

Dan Raven-Ellison urged volunteers to support the initiative.

“This sounds like a big job, but shared between 10,000 volunteers – ndividuals, established groups, new groups and collaborators – we’d need to walk an average of just 10km each.” 

Dan Raven-Ellison
4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
John Griffin
3 years ago

Excellent work by Cllr Norman, we must support Slow Ways and the Ramblers in their attempts to reestablish the walking networks. Too many ways have been lost, and definitive mapping must be done by 2026.

Clare Sholl
3 years ago

A decent footpath along the A5190 would make a huge difference to local people. The bus between Burntwood and Lichfield is expensive considering the short distance and many people would prefer to walk or cycle rather than drive – if only they could do so safely.

John Allen
3 years ago

Yes don’t forget cyclists Mr Norman.

Steve Coope
3 years ago

Yes, a footpath along the A5190 would be great, but there was no money to tarmac that road last year !!