The green movement supports tram extensions

Dear Ros

Thanks so much for your email.

I was anxious that you only did the very minimum re my bike ride that I am inviting anyone else on, because I was not wanting to make more work for you or, for it to be made into a big thing.  The 22 Kms Mudway is VERY BIG, however!!  Doing the "minimum" was simply to copy exactly what I had written to go on our Facebook page, please.  Last time it was Roy Sadler of Transition and I who did the bike ride.  This time it will be a neighbour of mine accompanying me.  But anyone else is still welcome as an informal, friends, unofficial, bike ride.  I don't think even my son will join me but we'll see!

I started the campaign for our Mudway transformed to official, smart, swish Cycle-Walkway in April 2018 with an email to Stuart Everton, Black Country Director of Transport.  It is the Dudley cycle improvement of the very top importance.  The second is for a cycle-walkway along the south side of Duncan Edwards Way, opposite the tramline.  Having a video made would be a first-ever for me in a lifetime of "He asked and pleaded for the bleeding obvious and was a successful failure every time" (my epitaph!).  A video of the mudway would be an entirely out-of-reach, Olympic-style, Gold medal to achieve!!

Your  "improvements to public transport to encourage people out of their cars" is what I have always heard from FoE, Green Party, every other green/transport organisation and member of the wider green movement since I started fighting Metro in the 1990s.  Apart from Bill Mellens of Walsall FoE the other day, not one other person has ever written to me or said to me (in Zoom, in person or in writing) that they agree with me over Metro.  Because it is public transport the very people who I thought would be helping me fight it have never done so, as far as I am aware!  Fighting road schemes like the KBH and WOM, yes - definitely.  But never Metro "bus on rails" trams because it is public transport!!

Please do try and get another meeting with Patrick H.  And if you can ask him about my concerns (and blame me) that would be wonderful but don't worry if not.  I can always try to nobble him, once more, myself!!  He does know me, quite well.

You, Marie and Chris were brilliant in putting the finishing of the ready-built, 120 Kms Black Country Railway in our Dudley FoE Climate Action Plan.  Still needed on 47 Kms where they don't put trams.  THANKS SO MUCH!

All the best.  Please ring, anytime Ros for a chat on 0791 380 4363 or 0121 550 9446.  It would be lovely to talk.