Dear James - and copied to Head of W Midlands Rail Executive, Malcolm Holmes - and Cllr Ian Ward (Google is not giving me Malcolm's email address at the moment, if Ian could please forward this to him, please.) Thanks!
This may give you a useful briefing about what TfWM/WMCA is probably planning to do, like Manchester.
A member of Railfuture wrote to me to ask,
"If it's going to be double (SELF: Metro light rail trams on double tracks) then how do they expect to be able to run heavy rail services along a frequently used tramline in the future?"
The tram is double track but tram-trains enable them to get round the promise of heavy rail services:
"Light rail investment provides the basis for restoring heavy rail services at the appropriate time." (letter from Tom Magrath, Passenger Services Director, Centro in September 2000)!
If it looks like a tram, runs as slowly and stops as often as a tram, it must still be a tram. Therefore, the tram-train is a tram and not a heavy rail train. However, Metro trams and, presumably, tram-trains can cruise at 50 mph, I believe. Ultimately, I think electric tram-trains will run between Worcester, Dudley town centre and Derby. It will be much more expensive and much slower, from the outset, now, than putting faster, with their fewer stops, electric, hydrogen-powered trains through the Black Country to bypass congestion bottleneck Brum. Far better to use electric buses for what we want electric trams to do. My suggestions are much more financially responsible with lower greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, more money is left to extend free travel from all old people like me to all younger age groups. Free as compensation for the greater infection risk in using public transport. SEE:
Best wishes
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