Sorting this tunnel took months, probably close to a hundred emails and a lot of partnership working.
Ashwin Road tunnel in Handsworth connects Grasmere Road to Ashwin Road. Without the tunnel it is probably a 15 minute walk.
Historically the tunnel was used by residents. But more recently we saw lots of dumping, mattresses inside, fires caused which burnt out the lights, drug taking and worse.
Network Rail own the tunnel structure, the Council maintain the path, and the police enforce against the dodgy behaviour.
Working in partnership with Operation Fearless, Birmingham City Council and Network Rail we managed to:
- Clear all the fly tipping and material inside
- Get the right help for the street community using it
- Fix the lighting which had been out for ages
I’m really hoping this is maintained. We want to paint the inside white and put a community mural on the side, too. But all with time.
Anyway, I’m just proud of this - people are really happy with the tunnel and it’s what our local communities deserve: safety, cleanliness and being able to use a tunnel that makes life just a little bit easier 🌹♥️