Fordbridge

Fordbridge
Fordbridge  Fordbridge shown within the West Midlands
Population	8,479 (2011)
Civil parish	Fordbridge
Metropolitan borough	Solihull
Metropolitan county	West Midlands
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOLIHULL
Postcode district	B37
Dialling code	0121
Police	West Midlands
Fire	West Midlands
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Meriden
List of places UK England West Midlands

Fordbridge is a civil parish and suburb between Kingshurst and Chelmsley Wood in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, which is in the West Midlands county, and also part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is 8 miles (13 km) east of Birmingham City Centre. It has a town council. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 8,749.

The area falls within the borders of North Solihull, parts of which are currently undergoing a £1.8 billion regeneration project. Many people in Fordbridge don't recognise it as a distinct area, instead classing it as part of the larger Chelmsley Wood Estate. The area around the eastern end of Cooks Lane is also often referred to as "Bacon's End".

Education

Fordbridge lies in-between a number of schools in the surrounding areas. Schools in and around the local area include:

Secondary Schools

• CTC Kingshurst Academy
• John Henry Newman Catholic College
• Grace Academy (Solihull)
• Smiths Wood Sports College
• Park Hall Academy
• The Coleshill School
• The International School and Community College

Also close by in Smith's Wood is the Solihull College Woodlands Campus.

Primary Schools

• Fordbridge Community Primary School
• St Anne's Catholic Primary School
• Bishop Wilson Church of England Nursery, Infant, and Junior School
• Kingshurst Primary School
• Saint Anthony's Catholic Primary School
• St John The Baptist R C Primary School
• Kingfisher Primary School

Transport

West Midlands Travel operate a number of buses in and around the Fordbridge area. The Cooks lane area is served by the 94, 55 and 71 bus services while Bosworth Road is served by the 97. Close by is Chelmsley Wood shopping centre which hosts a wide range of transport options. Buses are available to and from Solihull Town Centre, Coleshill, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham City Centre, Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham International Airport.

The closest railway station is Marston Green, around a mile away. From there, there are trains to Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street, and stations in Coventry.

Leisure

Fordbridge is also served by a local sports centre called the 'North Solihull Sports Centre'.

Politics

In the British House of Commons, Fordbridge is in the Meriden constituency. Its current Member of Parliament, since 1997, is Caroline Spelman of the Conservative Party, although Fordbridge itself is a traditionally Labour area.

External links

• Fordbridge Town Council