I am asking, along with the Green Party, if Left Unity and your good self could strongly support the drive for 'Restoring Your Railways'. This is an HMG/DfT, UK-wide initiative but is only very half-hearted with a small amount of money allocated for a few feasibility studies and, nothing at all for the completion of the nearly ready-built, 120 Kms (74 miles) Black Country Railway between Worcester and Derby via Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall. It bypasses Birmingham that is exactly what Brum needs with its congested, over-loaded, 'Grand Central Shopping Centre and Diesel Perfumed Underground Station In The Basement Of The John Lewis Store'. A rather over-loaded name, too!
Network Rail and the DfT both agree that it is a railway "of national strategic significance"
Metro trams are now being built on 6.7 Kms in the middle of the unused, wasted 56 Kms that is also without the trains and stations. This leaves 49.3 Kms that is unused on either side of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro tram line, when every underpass and bridge for M5/M6 and M6 Toll and every road and canal is already built for TRAINS!
First of all, does this have your personal support, Bob for the completion of what may well be the world's first train-tram-train mainline railway with two changes from train to tram at Brierley Hill and back to train at Wednesbury?
Does it have your personal support for commuter and regional trains between Stourbridge and Brierley Hill and between Wednesbury and Burton on Trent, instead of more tram extensions, bus rides and even an extended cycle-walkway on an existing double track mainline railway between Walsall and Lichfield?
Would the regional and national Left Unity ever be able to agree to the TRAINS AND STATIONS going back on this existing double-track mainline railway?
Would the regional and national Left Unity ever be able to agree that COMMUTER TRAINS AND STATIONS should return to existing, not yet destroyed, railway lines in heavily congested urban conurbations like the West Midlands? There are 106 Kms, minus the 6.7 Kms going for trams, that are freight only or mothballed for trams and cycles.
What is your honest opinion of what seems to me the blindingly obvious thing to do to reduce congestion, air pollution and rising, deadly greenhouse gases?
With all my e-mails, phone calls and speaking since the 1990s, I feel I have won a major success that the authorities are now thinking about (and even a little action) over "Restoring Your Railways"!
This is also an easy WIN for Left Unity to send us on our way! It is being positive, constructive and helpful.
Or, is it a far too revolutionary a concept? And it is me that is eccentric, a loony leftie and completely out of my little mind?
Best wishes
Tim
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