A COUNCIL leader has hailed the “tremendous” work carried out by a community group to create a new Greenway.
Back the Track is currently clearing the route of the former South Staffordshire Line between Lichfield and Chasewater while talks continue between Lichfield District Council and Network Rail to agree a lease.
Cllr Russ Bragger, Labour representative for Stowe ward, asked for a timeline for the project at a meeting of the local authority last week.
Lichfield District Council’s leader Cllr Doug Pullen said work was already taking place to prepare the Greenway route for walkers to be able to use.
“The work that Back the Track are doing has been tremendous in terms of clearing the disused line.
“We are almost at a point now where one would be able to walk down the line once the lease is secured.
“In terms of how long that then takes to get it to a point of removing the track or getting it entirely covered so you can call it a pathway, we simply don’t know. That is a multi-year project.
“If it’s anything to go by the previous section the same team has done, that has taken them six years or so.
“The way we’ve undertaken this work by the council doing the bit we can do in securing the lease then allowing the community group to crack on and do the work is the right way. It’s our community power strategy in action.
“Importantly, from March next year the public will have access once the lease is signed and the foliage is cleared.”
Great apart from the non-negotiable part where LDC being liable for all repairs / issues with the embankment and bridges for the next 50 yes 50 years!!!! Just imagine a subsidence along the route or a crack in one of the bridges ? It’s a blank cheque time and Network Rail will be in heaven knowing we are paying for it!!!
So is Doug Pullen saying it will take another six years to get this greenway finished? Unbelievable. I don’t think it took this long to build the M1. Why does it take so long to get anything done in this country?
Yes it will look jolly nice until millions of houses are given planning permission to be built either side of it
Why not run trains to connect with Chasewater?
The signal box should be fully refurbished .
I believe the lever frame is still in situ.
God fried that box is an example of half a dozen of its type. I believe it is the only one left but it has been badly damaged by vandals
@Godfried Stephens – the group are always looking for fresh volunteers. Maybe you can do the refurbishment of the signal box while the rest get on with clearing the track? I have their contact details if you’d like them.
@Local Man – we’re still talking with our insurers and Network Rail about the terms of the lease… before any decision is taken we will make sure there’s sufficient financial protection put in place.
@John Allen – this is a group of volunteers leading on a huge undertaking. It will get done quicker if you’re up for volunteering?