Dudley North MP, Marco Longhi has met with residents to discuss issues associated with the concrete barriers that were installed by Dudley Council to protect green spaces from illegal traveller incursions.

Unfortunately, the barriers have become a hotspot for youths congregating and are also a blot on the landscape. Mr Longhi spoke to locals to try and better understand their concerns and to suggest alternative options, including ways to make the existing barriers more visually appealing. Marco said:

“I understand why these were installed, but there are much better options. I have met with council officers to find a way of discouraging youths from congregating as well as making the area more visually appealing.

"One solution could be for the area to have wildflowers planted, possibly with timber bollards. This would link in with the Councils Carbon reduction scheme and would be much more appealing to residents.

“I also suggested that the Council could utilise the community payback scheme for offenders, which is designed for community projects like this. It would mean that people previously engaged in anti-social behaviour would be providing the labour to deliver the project. 

“I believe a natural barrier to stop incursions will also help tackle the anti-social behaviour issues and that it would add to the biodiversity of the area, which will benefit the environment and own quality of life.”

Marco said that he looks forward to meeting with council officers again soon to see what options will work best for the community. He added:

"I firmly believe that local community should be involved in project like these so I was delighted that the head of green spaces agreed with me that we should involve the local community in the options appraisal for this project.”