Protest held in bid to save doomed trees in Walsall
Determined people living near trees under threat of being chopped down in Walsall to make way for the Sprint Bus scheme have staged another bid to save them.
Dozens of residents braved the rain to campaign against the possible loss of around 70 trees on the A34 Birmingham Road, during a community protest on Sunday.
The area, which the locals have named ‘The Green’, could be dug up to widen the road to create a bus lane as part of Phase Two of Sprint.
The Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) plans have sparked anger, with residents saying the work isn’t needed. This has resulted in them holding monthly ‘Save Our Trees’ protests to send a message to bosses.
A TfWM spokesman said detailed designs on Phase Two are being worked on and will be submitted to Walsall Council planners later in the year. He added that 1,000 saplings are being planted to compensate for the loss of mature trees on the route.
If approved, Phase Two – linking Walsall with Solihull and the airport via Birmingham City Centre – will be finished next year.
The three candidates for the Paddock ward in this week’s election – Tory Councillor Gurmeet Singh Sohal, Labour’s Rishi Sharma and Liberal Democrat Daniel Barker – were all at the protest.
Resident Val Dodds said: “On a damp Bank Holiday Sunday, residents held their monthly ‘Save Our Trees’ Community Protest. New people join each month, swelling the total number of protesters.
“This time they were joined by the three candidates for Paddock Ward and they chatted to residents and heard their concerns.
“The ‘Save Our Trees’ protest continues to campaign against Phase 2 of the Sprint scheme, which includes the felling of trees on the A34 in Paddock Ward, Walsall.
“Plans for the Phase Two work are currently being finalised. This work is scheduled to start after the Games finish and, in Paddock Ward, the trees are threatened.
“We see no reason why the mature, flowering lime trees should be felled, as an afterthought, to widen a short length of road, approximately a mere 200m.
“We urge TfWM to exclude the trees from their plans and want Walsall Council to refuse permission for the felling.”
A Transport for West Midlands spokesman said: “With dedicated bus lanes and priority at junctions, Sprint is designed to offer passengers shorter journey times and greater reliability as the zero-emission buses bypass traffic jams.
“A Sprint bus priority network is a key part of the region’s long term transport plan.
“The first phase of the Sprint project is nearing completion. Detailed designs for phase two, which includes further bus priority measures in Walsall, are being finalised and will be issued for public engagement later this year before seeking approval with Walsall Council.
“During construction, 22 trees have been removed and we are in the process of planting 1,000 in parks and open spaces along the route to ensure a lasting green legacy.”
