Wildlife Ways update
Wildlife Ways Update Issue 14
Wildlife Ways Update – Issue 14
Welcome to the Wildlife Ways Stay Connected bulletin, giving you all the latest news about this exciting £16.8 million programme. Take a walk around our Wildlife Ways
We worked with Local Democracy Reporter David Irwin to produce a quick guide to enjoying some of our Wildlife Ways routes for exercise during the lockdown. With details of blooming wildflowers, alliums, primulas and pathways, here’s the Birmingham Live article if you missed it the first time.
It is important to ensure your physical and mental wellbeing during this time and Wildlife Ways offers a perfect opportunity to enjoy Solihull’s natural environment – you can see a map of all our routes here
For help with staying physically and mentally healthy during the current period there is lots of advice on the Solihull Council website Please remember to use our paths, parks and open spaces safely – observing social distance guidelines at all times.
Spring wildflowers bringing colour to Solihull’s verges. Our wildflower areas are now bursting into colour and the late spring bulbs such as alliums are now making these areas even more striking. Earlier this year our landscape contractor idverde laid out the wildflower turf across the borough. This has a variety of colourful species to bring colour to our local areas and encourages bees and other pollinating insects like butterflies.
Many residents have welcomed the wildflowers, saying that they are “really impressed by the beautiful bursts of colour” and “loving all the wildflowers growing around Solihull at the moment” We have also been carrying out more wildflower seeding in some of our parks – such as Tudor Grange, Brueton, Babbs Mill, Elmdon and Meriden parks – and along some of the grass verges including Monskpath Hall Road, Warwick Road, Lode Lane and Chester Road, with many of these areas already showing success. If you have seen our wildflowers and bulbs in bloom send a photo to wildlifeways@solihull.gov.uk and we’ll add our favourites to the website!
Crossings at Cornyx to make for easier access. Two new zebra crossings are being installed on Cornyx Lane and Damson Lane – part of Route C – that will improve access to local shops for residents. Another crossing on this route, on School Lane, has been installed with just a few final works needed to finish this off.
Primulas to take pride of place. Our contractor idverde is now adding primulas specially grown for Wildlife Ways to areas in Bickenhill (Chester Road), St Alphege (Monkspath Hall Road) and Chelmsley Wood (Moorend Avenue) amongst others. These will complement the wildflowers and bulbs already set out and will have pollinating benefits.
Ward updates
St Alphege – Route K The work to improve pathways along Streetsbrook Road between Bryanston Road and Station Approach has been completed ahead of schedule with a minor section to be finished at a later date.
Castle Bromwich – Route O The resurfacing of the footway between Hurst Lane North along Green Lane up to the parallel crossing opposite St. Clements Church has been completed, with an additional parallel crossing point installed on Hurst Lane North.
Silhill and Elmdon – Route C A team are currently on-site at Damson Parkway widening the paths. All plans and details for Route C can be found here.
Bickenhill – Route D The team are widening the pathway on Bickenhill Road between Elm Farm Avenue and Lyndon Croft/Low Brook. More details on Route D can be found here.
About Wildlife Ways Wildlife Ways is a £16.8 million programme – part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – to improve the borough for the benefit of people and wildlife alike. The programme will include tree, bulb and wildflower planting. It will also make it easier for people wanting to walk and cycle across the borough by widening and connecting paths and cycle routes with green spaces. There’s more on our website www.wildlifeways.co.uk – and if you’ve any comments or questions, please email us at wildlifeways@solihull.gov.uk