Notes and Images Image 1: The junction of The Droveway and Barnhurst Lane on the Staffordshire/West Midlands administrative boundary. Signing is needed on the junction and safety improvements are recommended as these roads are very busy, especially in the rush hour. Image 2: The junction of The Droveway and Ryefield. It is recommended that the route leaves the road at this junction and runs along the path shown which joins the Wayside path (see image 3). The towpath is soft grass which is unsuitable for cycling. Wayside is a metalled path parallel to the towpath between bridges 3 and 2 of the Shropshire Union Canal (Shroppie). Signing would be needed on Ryefield. Image 3: Wayside running parallel to the Shroppie towpath. Image 4: Looking down the Shroppie to Autherley Junction from bridge 2. The towpath on the right (west) is poor quality (see image 9) and there are problems with the boatyard at Autherley Junction (see image 11). There is no easy alternative on this side. It is recommended that from bridge 2, the route proceed through the park on the left (east) of the Shroppie (see images 5 and 6). 5
Image 5: Looking east over bridge 2. The barrier would need removing to access our recommended route (image 6). Signing is needed here. This is actually an important bridge linking cycle routes to the nearby Safeways and secondary schools. Image 6: Our recommended route from bridge 2 to Autherley Junction through the park on the east side of the Shroppie. This hard path runs all the way to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (S&W) at Autherley Junction (see image 12). Some upgrading to the surface may be needed. (Image K is the same but taken in the opposite direction). Image 7: The route on the west side of the Shroppie would follow this metalled path and join the towpath lower down between bridges 2 and 1. The dangerous bollard in the middle of the path should be removed. Image 8: The junction of the path in image 7 with the towpath between bridges 2 and 1. 6
Image 9: The poor quality towpath on the west of the Shroppie looking north towards bridge 2. The metalled path in image 8 branches off to the left. Image 10: Looking north from the boatyard at Autherley Junction. The towpath is metalled but only just wide enough for a single bike. It was very slow going towing a child trailer. Image 11: The boatyard at Autherley Junction complete with illegal no cycling signs. This is a hire base and is therefore very busy on changeover days. This is another good reason for directing the route through the park on the east side of the Shroppie. Image 12: Taken from the S&W showing the south end of the path which runs on the east side of the Shroppie from bridge 2 (see images 6 & K). 7
Image 13: Looking east along the S&W. The path in image 12 leaves the towpath on the left just after the barrier. This barrier would need removing if 81 is to follow this route. Image 14: Autherley Junction where the Shroppie leaves the S&W on the left. Signing is needed. Our recommended route is over the bridge and then left onto the path through the park (image 12). Otherwise the route would go underneath the bridge and through the boatyard (image 11). The passage under this bridge is very tight and the surface is extremely rough with old brick setts. Our recommended route over the bridge would avoid this. Image 15: Access point from Oxley Moor Road requires signing. There is an excellent, paved ramp down to the canal. Bushes need trimming and the superfluous barrier should be removed. Illegal motorcyclists can gain access to the towpath via the road to the left and the broken gate (image 16). Image 16: This broken gate at Autherley Junction can be accessed from Oxley Moor Road via the track which gives motor vehicle access to the boatyard. 8
Image 17: Aldersley Junction looking towards Autherley Junction. The barrier needs removing (it took three of us to lift a bike and trailer loaded with baby over the barrier). Image 18: The bridge over the S&W at Aldersley Junction. The route crosses this bridge and signing would be needed. Going straight on gives access to the Valley Park & Kingswinford Railway cycle routes and this should be signed. The barrier between the towpath and Valley Park needs removing for this to be useful. Image 19: After crossing the bridge at Aldersley Junction, the route joins the Birmingham Canal which begins with the 21 Wolverhampton Locks. This barrier by lock 21 needs removing. Image 20: Dunstall Park Bridge, lock 19 where the bridge hole is narrow but there is plenty of room for one trailer. An alternative route is possible by branching off to the right along a path which leads straight to the bridge over the S&W at Aldersley Junction (image 21). 9
Image 21: The alternative path, which is overgrown and would require much work to bring it up to cycle standard. It would be much easier to remove the barrier at lock 21 (image 19) and Dunstall Park Bridge, although narrow, is not really a problem. Image 22: Barrier by lock 17 needs removing. Image 23: Barrier next to the A449 Stafford Road bridge. The barrier needs removing unless the gate is left open. Image 24: Stafford Road bridge. The narrow ramp by the lock is wide enough for a child trailer. Access to Stafford Road is via steps but these can be bypassed by using Coxwell Avenue (see images 27 and 28). 10
Image 25: The busy A449 Stafford Road dual carriageway, looking north up the southbound carriageway. Access to 81 requires signing and Wolverhampton City Council should consider improving the safety of the A449, particularly in light of the expansion of Wolverhampton Science Park which is located on Coxwell Avenue. Image 26: Looking south along Stafford Road. A449 south: access to 81 via Coxwell Avenue. A449 north: access to 81 via Jones Road. Signing needed. Image 27: Access to 81 from Coxwell Avenue. Image 28: Access to Coxwell Avenue from 81. 11
Image 29: Coxwell Avenue showing the paths which lead to the canal towpath. Lowered kerbs are needed to connect these paths to the highway. Signing is also required. Image 30: Barrier between locks 12 and 11 by the old railway bridge which carried the line into Wolverhampton Low Level Station. If the gate is not left open then the barrier needs removing. Image 31: Lock 11. At this point, bear left and follow the metalled path which runs parallel to the towpath. This will avoid the narrow bridge hole at Fox s Lane bridge. Image 32: Fox s Lane bridge and lock 10. The Low Hill/Molineux cycle route crosses 81 and is already signed. 81 will need adding to the existing sign. Fox s Lane connects to the major Five Ways junction on the A449 Stafford Road and may be worth signing from there. However, the road is not particularly cycle-friendly as it is busy, narrow and it passes under two awkward railway bridges. 12
Image 33: Jordan s Bridge. Narrow but rideable. Image 34: This path through the park runs adjacent to the towpath and can be used to bypass the narrow bridge hole of Jordan s Bridge. Jordan s Bridge gives access to Crown Street which is a minor back-street. It is not really a major access point and is very close to the access points at Fox s Lane (image 32) and Cannock Road (image 40). Image 35: Lock 6. The path to the right accesses the track bed of the old line into Wolverhampton Low Level Station. To the right of this picture, there is a public open space and there is cycle access to Smestow Street which joins Cannock Road. This is a minor access and signing is necessary only on Cannock Road bridge. Image 36: The track bed between lock 6 and Cannock Road is a bit overgrown but could easily be cleared. 13
Image 37: The old railway bridge underneath Cannock Road. Between this bridge and the Low Level Station, the track bed is blocked by densely-packed trees and undergrowth (image 38). Cycle access underneath this bridge should be retained for a future cycle route between lock 6 and the Low Level Station. The area between Cannock Road and Low Level Station, including the former M&B Springfield Brewery, is due for re-development. This would be an excellent opportunity to create a cycle route from lock 6 to Low Level Station. Low Level Station can be connected to 81 via Corn Hill which crosses the canal at Mill Street Bridge. Currently, there is no access to the canal here but this could be provided when the scheduled redevelopment of the High Level Station takes place. Image 38: The overgrown track bed between Cannock Road bridge and the Low Level Station. The former Springfield Brewery can be seen at top left. Image 39: Cannock Road bridge. Access is via a broken fence to the right of the bridge. The gap here is comfortable for solo bikes but may require improvement for tandems, trailers and tricycles. 14
Image 40: Cannock Road: access to sign. Image 41: Barrier to remove between locks 5 and 4. Image 42: There is a very sharp bend in the towpath at the entrance to the bridge underneath the railway. One cannot see how sharp the bend is. A cyclist riding too fast along here could end up in the canal: some sort of visible warning is needed. Image 43: Barrier to remove between locks 2 and 1. 15
Image 44: Access to Broad Street and Wolverhampton City Centre from Wolverhampton top lock. Signing needed. Image 45: The existing cycle route on Broad Street bridge provided by Wolverhampton City Council. A ramp on the left gives access to 81, signing needed. Image 46: The intersection of Broad Street and the ring road. The council have provided a series of toucan crossings to give cyclists easy access to the city centre. Image 47: Broad Street bridge viewed from the top of the bridge over the arm into the fromer BWB Broad Street depot. At the bottom of this ramp, there is a brick wall as the towpath does a right-angled left and right zig-zag. Some sort of warning may be in order. 16
Image 48: Land slip at Mill Street bridge. This area is due for redevelopment. An access point could be provided here to give access to the station and the former Low Level Station (see the comments associated with image 37). Image 49: Inconsiderate parking at Horsley Fields Junction could cause problems. The towpath and road share the same bridge over the Wyrley and Essington Canal. Signing is needed in the W to E direction to indicate that the route goes over the bridge. Image 50: The Wednesfield cycle route which follows the Wyrley and Essington Canal from Horsley Fields Junction. Image 51: Looking west along 81 at Horsley Fields Junction bridge. A lowered kerb is needed. This bridge is adjacent to the A454; 81 should be signed from here. In view of the lack of access to streets or railway station from the deep canal cutting between Broad Street and Horseley Fields, it might be advisable to split the route and use the canal for through cycling only, with an alternative alignment at street level for access to amenities. This could use the controlled crossing at Broad Street (images 45-46), and the shared-use pavement along the Ring Road as far as Railway Drive. A suitable street-level route would need to be found between the railway station and Horseley Fields. 17
Image 52: Barrier by Walsall Street Bridge needs removing. Image 53: Bilston Road Bridge, A41. There is good access via the ramp on the left. Image 54: Looking north up the A41 Bilston Road. Careful signing and consideration to additional safety is needed. The bridge is blind and there are tramlines on both sides of the road. Ideally, access should be provided via the spare land on the east side of the A41: it would then be easy to provide a safe route into the city centre. Image 55: Low bridge at Cable Street, but rideable and visibility is good. 18
Image 56: Overgrown ramp at Cable Street. This gives pedestrian access via a hole in the wall (image 57). Cycle access is not necessary here and can therefore be ignored. Image 57: The hole in the brick wall at Cable Street. Image 58: Overflow between cable street and Dixon Street. This will flood during heavy rain. Image 59: This barrier near Dixon Street Bridge serves no purpose. One can easily cycle past it, even with a child trailer. 19
Images 60-62: Dixon Street Bridge, access point to sign. Image 60: Dixon Street Image 61: Looking along the canal towards Birmingham from Dixon Street. Image 62: Access to Dixon Street from the canal. Image 63: Remove barrier between Dixon Street and Ettingshall Road. One can easily cycle around it. 20
Image 64: Access point to sign, Catchems Corner Bridge, Ettingshall Road. Image 65: Jibbet Lane Bridge (Ward Street). Image 66: Stepped access from Ward Street. This is not a major access point. An unloaded solo bicycle can easily be carried around the barrier and down the steps; otherwise there is easy access from the nearby Millfields Bridge (Images 67-69). Images 67-69 show the access point to sign on Millfields Road. This is a busy dual carriageway and signing may need special attention. Image 67: Millfields Road bridge westbound carriageway. 21
Image 68: Millfields Road bridge: eastbound carriageway. Image 69: Millfields Road bridge, looking towards Wolverhampton. Access to Millfields Road is via the ramp on the right. Image 70: Access to the canal from the Millfields housing estate. This is a pleasant way to access the canal from Bilston town centre and so may be worth signing from here. (Before Deepfields Junction there is a shale path leading to Turton s Croft which is part of a Lanesfield housing estate: not recommended as an NCN access point). Image 71: Deepfields Junction, where the Wednesbury Oak Loop branches off to Bradley. A sign is needed to show the correct route over the bridge. Image 72: Anchor Lane bridge. This is not recommended as an access point as Anchor Lane is a minor back street. There is a chicane barrier just beyond the white bollard. 22
Image 73: Barrier between Anchor Lane and Biddings Lane. This should be removed unless the gate is left open. There is no access at the next bridge, Hills Bridge, Biddings Lane but there is private, gated access to the pub. Image 74: Access to Bridgewater Drive which leads to Biddings Lane. There is a barrier but the wooden fence either side has been pulled down. This is not recommended as an NCN access point. Image 75: leaving the canal to access Kenelm Road and the road route over Coseley Tunnel. This path needs to be widened and improved and clear signing is needed to show where the canal is left. If dismounting and walking through the tunnel (360 yards) is to be an alternative then this should also be clearly signed. Image 76: Barrier where the path from the canal meets Kenelm Road. This should be removed. 23
Image 77: the end of Kenelm Road showing the access to the canal. Signing needed and possibly a lowered kerb. Image 78: Looking along Fullwoods End. Kenelm Road is on the left. Signing needed. Image 79: Looking along Tunnel Street to Fullwoods End. Image 80: the roundabout at the junction of Tunnel Street and Bayer Street. Signing needed. (Bayer Street runs seamlessly into Bridge Street). Image 81: the junction of Bridge Street (which becomes Bayer Street) and Central Drive. Signing needed. 24
Image 82: access to the canal from Central Drive. Signing needed. Easy access can be provided alongside the gate by removing parts of an old stile which are superfluous. Image 83: This is the east end of Coseley Tunnel showing the path bearing off to the right to access Central Drive. Signing, similar to the west end, is needed with alternative dismount through tunnel route if appropriate. Improvements to the ramp path and the towpath eastward (to Factory Junction) are needed. Image 84: Barrier near Ox Leasowes Bridge. If the gate is left open it can remain otherwise it should be removed. Image 85: Missing safety fencing near Factory Junction. This bridge takes the towpath over a disused canal arm. The dangerous, deep gully at the side was not protected. Since this image was taken, work in progress on safety fencing has been observed. 25
Image 86: Turnover bridge at Factory Junction, next to the Barge and Barrel pub. Access to the highway can be gained via the pub garden which is private so this is not an access point. The route over the bridge carries the towpath onto the old main line of the Birmingham Canal. For 811 W-E, clear signing under the bridge is needed, E-W is less of a problem. Image 87: Barrier at the top of Factory Locks. This needs removing. Here, the route marked on the Sustrans largescale map crosses to the south side of the canal. The ridden survey remains on the north side. Features shown in images 88-97 may be affected. Image 88: Factory Road, Tipton. Access to the canal is via the metalled track just to the right of the yellow barrier. The barrier closes access to motor traffic but does not affect cycle access. Factory Road is a minor road from a nearby T- junction with Bloomfield Road and so a sign here would be desirable. Image 89: This is the access point to Factory Road, which needs signing. The barrier can be by-passed by modification to the small gap at the side. 26
Image 90: Owen Street, Tipton. The route is already signed by the blue sign as route 81. Image 91: This concrete slot to the east of Tipton station is dangerous and requires covering. There is evidence that a previous cover has been removed. Image 92: Park Lane East, Dudley Port. The canal crosses over an aqueduct. The road is accessed via a steep ramp but this barrier at the top needs removing. Image 93: Access to the canal from Park Lane East showing a blue route sign with route 81 in a red box. 27
Image 94: This is Dudley Port aqueduct over the A461. It also carries a large pipe restricting the towpath to a narrow section of concrete only 1.2m wide. Lack of space makes this difficult to improve. If it is not improved then signs are needed to warn that extreme care must be taken. Also, the towpath surface east of here needs improvement and widening. Image 95: Dudley Port Junction. Junction with the branch leading to the Netherton Tunnel. The towpath crosses over the mainline using the bridge shown. The steps at either end need removing. This junction needs careful signing to avoid confusion with the other bridge over the canal leading to the Netherton Tunnel (see images 96 and 97). Image 96: Looking towards Wolverhampton at Dudley Port Junction. Cross the mainline bridge on the right, not the one straight ahead. Image 97: Another view of the bridge over the canal which leads to the Netherton Tunnel. Do not cross this bridge. Careful signing is needed because the towpath straight on is in good condition and could be mistaken for route 81. Here, the survey joins the south side and follows the line as marked on the Sustrans large-scale maps. 28
Image 98: Steep bridge over disused arm between Dudley Port and Albion junctions. This bridge needs some improvement. There is a bit of a step where the towpath meets the bottom of the concrete ramp. Image 99: Albion Junction bridge has steps which should be removed. Signing is needed to show the route straight on over the bridge. Here the route marked on the Sustrans largescale maps crosses to the north side. The ridden survey remains on the south. Features shown in images 100-111 may be affected. Image 100: Railway bridge between Albion Junction and Oldbury Road (B4166) bridge. Barrier to remove and uneven surface under the railway bridge needs attention. Ballast from the railway above has a tendency to make its way onto the towpath and could be dangerous (cycle helmet recommended!). Image 101: Albion Bridge (Oldbury Road): Access is marked on the road via a cycleway sign with 81 in a red box. However, the gate is locked and the ramp is overgrown owing to lack of use due to the locked gate. The gate needs removing and the ramp needs clearing if this is to be an access point. 29
Image 102: A close-up view of the overgrown ramp on Albion Bridge. Image 103: Good sign on Albion Bridge showing route 81 but access is prevented by the locked gate. Image 104: Overflow surface between Oldbury Road and Bromford Road bridges. The surface contains brick ridges and is overgrown at the side. This does flood during heavy rain. One solution might be to erect a boardway over the entire length. Image 105: Barrier between B4166 Oldbury Road and A4034 Bromford Road bridges. There is a brick-built path around the barrier making the barrier pointless. 30
Image 106: Bromford Bridge (Bromford Road): Access point to sign. Setts on path are rough and the step at the top needs removing. Image 107: Bromford Bridge from the road. Image 108: Bromford Junction where Spon Lane locks branch off to the left. Image 109: Bromford Junction. The route crosses the mainline and continues straight on. This is obvious as there is no hard path from the bridge to Spon Lane locks. 31
Image 110: Crossing the mainline at Bromford Junction. Spon Lane locks can be seen in the background. Turn right at the end of this bridge (Image 111). Image 111: The ramp from the bridge at Bromford Junction. Here the survey joins the north side of the canal and follows the line as marked on the Sustrans large scale maps. Image 112: Spon Lane South. This bridge has an access point via a long ramp and is already signed 81 from the road. The surface of the ramp needs improvement. Image 113: Small flooded patch east of Spon Lane South. A small watercourse flows over the towpath, perhaps caused by a blocked culvert which would need simple unblocking. There may be several variable patches of this kind. 32
Image 114: Roebuck Lane bridge. The eastern end of route 81 terminates underneath this bridge. Straight on through Galton Tunnel is route 5 to Birmingham. Route 5 north to Lichfield branches off to the left and climbs onto Roebuck Lane Bridge via a long, concrete ramp. Despite British Waterways policy, this needs full signing at the junction underneath the bridge (see Image 116). Image 115: Under Roebuck Lane Bridge looking at Galton Railway Bridge. Another wet patch is visible after heavy rain. This will be a persistent problem because of the depth of the cutting. A harder wearing surface such as concrete or tarmac may be required. Image 116: Underneath Roebuck Lane Bridge looking at the T-junction of route 81 onto route 5. The towpath through Galton Tunnel is to the right and the long concrete ramp onto the bridge is to the left. Image 117: On Roebuck Lane Bridge at the top of the concrete ramp. 33
Image 118: Looking at Galton Tunnel from Roebuck Lane Bridge. The zig-zag of the long, concrete ramp connecting the bridge and towpath can be seen on the left. Image 119: Looking north along route 5 to Lichfield from Roebuck Lane Bridge. Image 120: The junction of Roebuck Lane and the A457 showing the cycleway sign. 34