Sowe river bridge

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Sowe River Footpath and the New Public Footbridge

During the planning of the new Alan Higgs Sports Centre, the original public footpaths [in continual use since early 1850's or before] were being built over, and access across the 'White Bridge' [the huge sewer pipe across the river] would be closed.

A presentation by the Alan Higgs Trust took place at WEETC, at which it was clearly stated that the new footbridge would be in place before the site opened [as pre planning permission]. It very soon became clear the bridge was not going to be in place, or even planned. Council and Trust both denied reasonability for the bridge.  At the same time research into just how the bridge would be accessed, showed that people from Willenhall would have no footpath leading to the bridge. But the original 'Sowe Valley Footpath' built in 1990's should have been laid along the river.

After many months of campaigning and complaining, the bridge was put in place connecting to the remaining public footpath. But the river access has never been completed, requests for lighting and safely items ignored by all.
Below is a photograph taken in Oct 2003
Before
Due to the use of heavy machinery the soil has been turned into a marsh and impassable when it rians
 
Pictures taken April 2007 showing the new gate preventing access across the 'White Bridge' and the still uncompleted footpath
 

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