New cycle lanes and walking routes planned

The new routes would help encourage cycling and walking, council bosses said

Plans for new cycle lanes and walking routes in are set to be backed by council bosses in a town.

Dudley Council's cabinet will be asked to sign-off its Black Country Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Plan at a meeting next week.

The scheme has been drawn up jointly by Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils to encourage the activities in the area.

A council report said the authority expected most of the funding for the routes would come from outside grants.

The plan includes nine cycle routes and three walking zones which are:

• Himley to Stourbridge

• Brierley Hill to Cradley Heath

• Dudley to Cradley Heath

• A4101 Pensnett to Dudley town centre

• Pensnett to Upper Gornal

• Smestow Valley Leisure Route

• A458 to Woodgate Valley

• Stourbridge to Halesowen

• Hagley to M5 junction three

• DY5 Enterprise Zone and Brierley Hill

• Stourbridge Interchange/Stourbridge Junction/Town Centre

• Kingswinford

Councillor Damian Corfield said the plan would be a large part of the borough's aim to be carbon neutral by 2041 with transport the single largest cause of carbon emissions.

The plan will be discussed at a meeting of the council's cabinet on Wednesday.