Cycling in and around Birmingham England

Mad Dogs in Witton Lakes Park

Every few days I am confronted by dangerous dogs in Witton Lakes Park . This park is on the Sustrans route from Sutton Coldfield to Birmngham Centre.This ride is often made very intimidating by pit bull type dogs and their aggressive young male owners, who think a lead is something to nick off a church roof. This route also has no lighting and turns into compressed sand with broken glass further North,once you have negotiated the thoughtfully broken footbridge.Only seen Police in the park once in six years.Anyone else use this route and have similar experiences?

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Permalink Reply by Simon on February 23, 2012 at 13:38

The works include new pathways, landscaping, path repairs and a cycle route and are being carried out on behalf of Birmingham City Council’s Landscape Practice Group.

Went through yesterday for the first time this year. Oo, nice new surfaces on some of the paths - now have a choice of which side of the lake to ride.

As or dogs, still no problems (touch wood) - the I referred to earlier still seems to keep it on a lead these days.

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Permalink Reply by Richard D on February 23, 2012 at 14:05

I went past this morning. Does this mean I can now (or will soon be able to) choose which way round to go? Excellent.

Also saw two PCSOs, for the first time since I started using NCN535 (but I do so fairly infrequently, so it's hardly a big surprise I'd not seen any before). Pity that they were walking rather than on bikes.

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Permalink Reply by Simon on February 23, 2012 at 16:02

Well, that's a question. The sign at the centre damn suggests that you can cycle across it. But I'm not sure if there are any cycle signs on the far side. In the past I have been told to cycle on the far side by the police because they had closed the cycle path side. And, to be honest, i see loads of people cycling everywhere in the park. I think that it would only ever really be an issue if you were to be in collision with a pedestrian - they might try to bring up the fact that you were cycling on a bit that you weren't meant to be on (assuming that you aren't meant to cycle there - which we don't know). I'd guess that the park itself has the same set of generic by-laws that other BCC parks have. I might ask Mr Porter if I remember.

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Permalink Reply by Ian-C on February 23, 2012 at 16:08

I have just read most of the comments on this thread although some are a little old now most dog owners i have met have been very good and controlled their dogs as I pass i give them a cheery "thank you" as I pass on the other hand if you want to scare off the pit bull type of dogs i say flood the park with Canada geese they make pit bull dogs look like poodles :-)

the scariest moment i ever had was on the Rea Valley route between Fordhouse road and Cartland road a friend and I were cycling side by side chatting not a soul on the path all of a sudden this woman came running across the grass shouting at us that we should not cycle 2 a breast and that we were being aggressive and taking up all the pathway. mind you she was as ugly as a pit bull in fact she did look a bit like a bull dog chewing a wasp, I guess she was a member of the ramblers association they hate everyone.