Village News
TENNIS TWINS Simon and Paul Cowie (right) went head to head in the men’s final of Barnt Green Tennis Club’s annual champion- ship. After a keenly fought
match, Simon (holding the cup) prevailed 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. The women’s doubles
title was taken by Lucy Challinor and Sally Gillespie (right). The re- maining adult finals were still to be played as The Village went to press.
Bridge work begins W
ork towards the installa- tion of a footbridge over the railway at Cofton Hack-
ett has finally begun, Barnt Green Parish Council heard. Chairman Robert Cholmondeley
told councillors that Network Rail was constructing a temporary roadway beside Bittell Farm Road in preparation for the footbridge, which will replace the “yellow brick road” foot crossing. “It seems that for once Network
Rail have kept their word, as they told us work would begin in Sep- tember,” he said. “Apparently the bridge should be completed over the winter months.” Network Rail closed the foot
crossing in summer 2015 for safety reasons, in the face of opposition from residents and walkers, and decided to install a footbridge – estimated to cost £1million – as a diversion would be too long. Since then, work has been postponed a number of times. The bridge scheme has been met with raised eyebrows in Alvechurch, where councillors were told Network Rail did not have enough money to finish the station car park. Alvechurch parish chairman
Andy Humphries commented: “Interesting that Network Rail can
6 The Village October 2018
find the cash for a footbridge for a handful of walkers but can’t man- age to fund improving the car park at Alvechurch station, which would benefit hundreds of rail users.” Meanwhile, Barnt Green Par-
ish Council has written to West Midlands Trains, which now has re- sponsibility for Barnt Green station, asking for improved signage. “Platform 1, where passengers
catch the new Bromsgrove service, does not have an information screen, so you have to cross over to another platform to find out the train times,” said clerk Gill Lungley. Coun Joe Nilsson pointed out
that since the bridge still has no lifts, people in wheelchairs or trav- elling with pushchairs would not be able to do this. There is still no definite date from
Network Rail on when the long- promised lifts might be installed.
Traders’ fears over lengthy
road closure PLANS TO replace the water main in Barnt Green’s high street have been met with concern by councillors and traders. The parish council was told that
Hewell Road could be closed for “many months” while the work is carried out. As well as the disrup- tion to residents and motorists, there are fears that shoppers will go elsewhere and never return. “An analysis of the work is cur-
rently being carried out, and we will make strong representations to ask that the road is closed in sec- tions, rather than all at once,” said parish clerk Gill Lungley.
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