Decades of Dedication: Visiting Tim Weller’s Guerrilla Garden
On a warm Saturday afternoon, members of Friends of the Earth Dudley & Stourbridge met with Tim Weller to visit the guerrilla garden he has nurtured since the 1980s.
Having adopted this piece of land near Merry Hill, Tim planted silver birches, pines and willows. Over the decades, these trees have flourished and matured under his conscientious care, creating a green space that reflects years of patience, commitment and protection.
Our visit was a chance to appreciate what one person’s dedication can achieve—and to hear why its future remains uncertain.
The threat comes from the proposed Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension, delivered by the Midland Metro Alliance on behalf of Transport for West Midlands. The overall scheme covers approximately 11 kilometres. The funded extension from Flood Street in Dudley towards Merry Hill, via Cinder Bank, Pedmore Road and the Waterfront, is expected to open to passengers in 2028. Midland Metro Alliance project information
It is the proposed final section, known as Phase 2c, that causes concern for Tim’s garden. This would continue from Merry Hill towards Brierley Hill town centre. Tim’s concern is that the planned route would pass through the land he has spent decades caring for, before crossing the canal.
At approximately one kilometre long, this section carries a reported estimated cost of £50 million, with substantial engineering needed to cross the canal and bring the tramway up to highway level.
Our understanding is that Phase 2c remains unfunded. That offers some breathing space, but it should not be mistaken for permanent protection. The ambition to extend the line further into Brierley Hill remains, subject to funding, leaving a question mark over the garden’s future. WMCA funding announcement
Friends of the Earth Dudley & Stourbridge supports better public transport and the important role it plays in reducing car use, congestion and pollution. We also believe that transport planning must give proper weight to established urban green spaces and the people who care for them.
Mature trees take decades to grow. The value of a garden such as Tim’s cannot be measured simply by the space it occupies on a route map.
We will be writing to Transport for West Midlands to make the case for protecting the garden and to call for the cancellation of Phase 2c. We will also ask decision-makers to consider whether future investment of this scale could deliver greater benefits through other much-needed social and community projects across the region. As this section is unfunded, this is a question about future spending priorities, rather than reallocating money already available.
Thank you to Tim for welcoming us and sharing the story of his garden. His commitment is a reminder of how much difference sustained local action can make—and why the green spaces we already have deserve a voice in decisions about our future.
To discuss the garden or Tim’s wider campaign on rail and Metro planning, contact him at timweller1@gmail.com.
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