CLIMATE JOBS

 Dear Suzanne - and copied to Bob Whitehead (on Zoom this evening) who is my advisor on Fare-Free Public Transport and everything else, he is so knowledgeable.

You edited, I believe the excellent 'Climate Jobs' book that talks of HS2 and trams with some approval (not so excellent!).  Please forward this email to the two authors of that chapter.  Could I have their email addresses, please?

SUMMARY

These righteous, so well-intentioned, right-wingers in charge wiped out the West Midlands tram network.  Next, only 20 years later, they started to rebuild it but on the railway network that they had already partly destroyed, to end up destroying yet more railway lines and stations with Metro trams, that is still occurring this very day in 2022!

Until Andy Street came along in 2017, the authorities were never wanting to rebuild the railway network on the railway network.  They were wanting the wasted lines only for trams, would you believe! 

Why has the trade union movement and everyone wanting nationalisation/public ownership in the West Midlands always supported the authorities destroying, then rebuilding the tram network and, destroying so much of the railway network over seven decades?  All the trade unions and their left-wing associates have been in cahoots with the powers that be.  For example:

YOU DON'T GET GREEN OR CLIMATE JOBS DOING THIS!!

1950s - complete, total destruction of the tram network.

60s - destroyed about 100 Kms of our W Mids railway lines for roads and buildings, including the Victorian New St Sta for a concrete underground station.

70s - demolished the Victorian Snow Hill Station but, almost as soon as the last brick was removed from site, they realised their little slip-up and rebuilt it.  But to only half its former size!

80s - started rebuilding the tram network as Metro but put line one on a mainline railway, of all things!

90s - opened the first Metro tram line on a mainline railway but at the most enormous cost compared with putting the regional and commuter trains back.  Started work on the Metro tram called the Dudley Tram to Merry Hill Shopping Centre on a railway "of national strategic significance".

00s - worked on Metro trams going on the Kings Norton, Kings Heath, Moseley, Balsall Heath railway.

10s - decided against trams on that railway line, after all, and chose, instead trains and three stations to be built at Hazelwell, Kings Heath and Moseley.

20s - work started on the ground for the Dudley Tram to Merry Hill Shopping Centre.  And, for £15 BILLION, the Combined Authority announced eight underground and overground Metro tram lines totalling 150 miles for Coventry, the Black Country and Brum.  This, to replace buses and trains and accelerate the burning of finite fossil fuels and the runaway greenhouse effect.

Public ownership would be great but needs a left-wing national government - beyond our reach.  Stopping the misspending on Metro trams and Sprint to replace buses and trains by regional government is NOT and can be achieved, eg trains and stations back through Kings Heath and Moseley and no longer trams.  Honest!

Best wishes