The need for the full 120 Kms railway rather than 10 Kms of trams

I have been arguing for working as near as possible to where you live since 1978 when I started working as a social worker in Sandwell at Haden Hill, one mile up the road.  I pointed this out when they moved me to Smethwick in 1982.  I was then contributing to more road congestion!

1. The tram is being provided to get the railway service reinstated.  You told me, "So they are paying twice to get what they really want, the trains".  (Or, words to that effect.)  Do you remember telling me that in church a few years ago, Kev?  You were spot on!  I could not have put it better.
2. If the authorities are spending half a billion pounds (£500 m) to improve the bus service by putting "bus on rails" trams on the road and railway over 10.7 Kms, would this indicate that they are confident it will be very well used and is badly needed?  I think the project/scheme is deeply immoral.
3. Apparently, it was much needed to reduce road congestion in the 1980s and 90s.  Therefore, why was the promise of Cllr Fred Hunt, Leader of Dudley Council in telling me, in the mid 90s, that it would be up and running by the year 2000, not fulfilled?
4. Yet, if they spent less than £200 m they would be able to put the commuter, regional and intercity trains back, plus nine stations on the whole missing 56 Kms of the middle section between Worcester and Derby. And, it would do an equally good job as the £500 m "bus on rails" tram in connecting Dudley with Merry Hill but also, that the tram does not do, connecting Stourbridge with Merry Hill.
5. There would have to be an electric bus service from Dudley Castle Hill railway station, where the four big tourist attractions are, to take passengers up to the rundown town centre that is Dudley.
6. Birmingham does not want passengers to miss out their city by some passenger trains bypassing Brum and going via our four Black Country boroughs.
7. Yet, Grand Central that Worcester to Derby trains stop at, is one of the worst railway congestion bottlenecks in the UK, according to Peter Plisner on 'Midlands Today'.
8. Do you think that some passengers between Derby and Devon might like to come via Dudley, as they did for 100 years until the 1960s?
9. Did you know that railway passenger numbers have more than doubled since the mid-90s?
10. Did you know that the transport experts have turned our urban railway lines into homes, shops, offices and roads since the 1960s?  About 100 Kms in the W Mids.
11. Do you think that this might be the reason for road congestion on the M5 and M6?
12. Might this be the reason for HS2?  That is, to increase capacity on our railway network that is overcrowded and, "a very Victorian railway"  (Sir David Higgins, Chief Exec, Network Rail on 'Today' 8 Jan 2013)