Empty rail lines; trams replacing buses and trains; but, growing congestion on road and rail!

Dear Peter and Toby - and copied to Geoff Inskip, for his information.

I am looking forward to meeting with you this afternoon at 3 at Centro House.

I would like these matters to be discussed, please:

1. The UK's rail (and even road, at peak times) congestion bottleneck - New Street Station.
2. Birmingham's second rail station - Moor Street.
3. What can be done with the above problems?

In addition, I would like to hear your views on my assertion that we should concentrate on the two main public transport modes - road for buses, rail for trains, only.  Complete electrification and consider giving buses a bigger role in reducing rush hour car congestion.  Avoid further complication and expense with trams.  Learn from Edinburgh.

Double trouble is worsening with -

• resource depletion and human climate change from:
• living infinitely on a finite planet
• living unnaturally on a natural planet
• UK's indigenous population is growing and worsening the above.

There is always an unanswerable business case for every expensive and flash project that the London government wants.  Never a flawless business case for super expensive (many tens of billions) military schemes, projects and ventures in far flung corners of the planet for every single year over the last 100 years, however.  Never a mighty tome of files on why the economic argument is made for a re-organisation of the NHS and social care.  And how funny; indeed, how very strange that the economic and business case is so incontrovertibly made for spending £50 billion of our taxes on high speed, green field rail lines but never for bringing back into use our unused or underused 38 miles of double track rail lines. Every metre of which is continuously welded and with concrete sleepers, too.  That business case never, ever stacks up, even though some of the miles run alongside, or very near, to commuter congested roads!  And, could even ease the gridlock on the approach roads to New Street Station 'Drop and Go' tunnel (actually, 'Stop and Crawl' tunnel) of nicely perfumed exhaust gases.  There is simply no economic argument for doing anything about all that!

The decades of unfair funding for the Wider (or Larger) Birmingham region continues.  The North of England economic powerhouse and a 'Transport for the North' is promised for them but nothing for us.

Best wishes

Tim