New cycle lane set for West Bromwich High Street

The work will see a new segregated cycle path stretch three-quarters of a mile along West Bromwich High Street and Roebuck Lane.

The work also includes new and upgraded crossings and improved paths.

The cycle route is one part of a huge regeneration project in West Bromwich town centre which is being funded in part by government ‘levelling up’ money.

Labour-run Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for highways Councillor Danny Millard will be asked to give the green light for the work next Monday (February 26).

The route would create a cycle link with West Bromwich town centre and national cycle routes at Birmingham Road, along Beeches Road with its connections towards Sandwell Valley and Roebuck Lane towards Smethwick Galton Bridge railway station.

Sandwell Council said it received just 11 responses to questionaries posted to more than 500 homes around the proposed route – with opinion in the handful of replies split down the middle.

Labour councillor Tirath Singh Dhatt, who represents the West Bromwich Central ward, made an objection to Sandwell Council on behalf of residents in Roebuck Lane.

“[The cycle route] is currently planned to be on the same side of the road as the houses,” the objection said. “This would adversely impact parking, road crossing and access from and to parked cars and houses.

“Therefore, I request that due consideration is given to moving this stretch of the cycle route to the opposite side of the road, i.e. away from the houses, where there is less pedestrian traffic, and hence, a lower risk of accidents.”

It is being paid for using £25 million given to Sandwell Council from the Department for Levelling Up as part of the significant West Bromwich Towns Fund – which includes several regeneration projects around the town and High Street.

The plans for West Bromwich include a new indoor market and a new Sandwell College teaching campus called the Sandwell Civil and Mechanical Engineering Centre.

The council’s ‘West Bromwich Connected’ plans include the new cycle and walking links through the town centre in a bid to get residents to ditch their cars for greener ways of getting around.

The council said this would help reduce congestion and improve air quality.

The money is also funding a number of other projects including building a new ‘town hall quarter’ with the grade II listed town hall restored and renovated alongside the town’s High Street library.

The ‘decision-making session’ for Sandwell’s cabinet member for environment and highways takes place at the Oldbury council house from 5pm on Monday, February 26.