New barriers set to deter bikers from damaging Dudley nature reserve
Barriers will be installed at a Dudley nature reserve in a bid to prevent it from being wrecked by bikers.
Residents says Castle Hill Woods has been the site of anti-social behaviour for years, with speeding off-road bikers and fly-tippers causing damage to wildlife.
Now council chiefs have announced measures aimed at protecting the site, which includes Peggy's Meadow and sits between Dudley Zoo and the Black Country Living Museum.
They have included the woods in a new project called Blue Green Network 2, which will see steel barriers erected at several entrance points in a bid to deter bikers from entering the site.
It follows a campaign by Dudley North MP Marco Longhi, who said the move would make a "real difference" for residents.
He said: "I am aware that this anti-social behaviour has been going on for years, so I am delighted to know that Dudley Council will now take steps to deter the bikers.
"The council is now playing its part with the land they are responsible for, so I urge the police to play their part and contribute to stopping off-road biking in Castle Hill Woods.
"I sincerely thank the residents who responded to my letters over the past few weeks and logged their concerns with me and Dudley Council."
Council chiefs said they believed the barriers would serve as a "significant deterrent" to anyone wanting to access the woodland.
As part of the scheme a main path across the site will be repaired and dying trees will be felled and replaced with new ones.
The council-designed scheme has been put out to tender and is expected to be awarded later this month. Work is planned to start in October, with an expected completion date of early 2023.
