INSTALLATION of long-awaited security measures at a Dudley nature site has got underway.

A campaign led by councillors and residents secured a commitment from Dudley Council to install new security barriers on the entrances to Castle Hill Woods, just behind Dudley Castle and which stretches across to the Black Country Living Museum.

The barriers are an attempt to protect the area and residents from the misery of off-road motorbikers who have been damaging the site and putting people off visiting.

News that work has now begun to install the barriers has been welcomed by residents and councillors as a step in the right direction to stamping out the problem once and for all.

Castle and Priory Labour councillor Keiran Casey said: “We’ll be monitoring this work and have asked the council to also visit the site to ensure the contractors are doing as they say and that we can get this work completed as a matter of urgency now.

“In addition, I’ve arranged follow up meetings with West Midlands Police and am continuing to push them to see what more they can do, and have raised these issues with both the Chief Superintendent in Dudley and in discussions with our West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, particularly to see what more they can do on this site, but to stamp out the nuisance of off-road motorbikes more widely.”

Community campaigner Karl Denning, who has been working with Cllr Casey, added: “We know how difficult this has been for people living around the site.

“It’s great these barriers are now going in, but we know this isn’t the end of our work, and we want to continue working with local residents to push the police to ensure they are doing everything they can to stamp this sort of behaviour out, wherever it may be.”