11 questions for FoI at WMCA

1. ​Is it tr​​ue that the ​multiple cris​e​s ​confronting the nation ​have meant that there is a £300 million shortfall in the cost of the Dudley Tram (Wednesbury, Brierley Hill Extension or WBHE) construction project and this is leading to only half of it being built - for the time being?  Over the 40 years of planning and constructing the 10.7 Kms tramline on mainly a railway "of national strategic significance", the cost has ballooned to £550 million.  Is that the current figure?
2. Are you still insisting that the only way to finish the missing middle section of the 120 Kms Black Country Mainline Railway is to put Metro trams on a total of 6.7 Kms out of the 56 Kms that is available to be finished with the regional and commuter, fast trains between Worcester and Derby via Dudley?  The official line that has never been withdrawn in 22 years is this: "Light rail (trams) investment provides the basis for restoring heavy rail services at the appropriate time."  (Heavy rail services mean trains between Worcester, the Black Country and Derby.​  Source: letter dated 18 September 2000 from Tom Magrath, Passenger Services Director, Centro​)
3. ​What length of the former mainline railway must be converted to tramway before it can be converted back for passenger and freight trains, once more?​
   
4. ​What did Laura Shoaf, CEO of WMC​A ​mean in a 'Midlands Today' interview that "passive provision would be built in" to the WBHE Metro tram scheme to allow the mainline railway ​"of national strategic significance" ​
    "of national strategic significance".pdf
   ​​to be completed with fast passenger and freight trains, in due course?
5. Ha​ve the many cris​e​s delayed the reopening of the Wolverhampton to Walsall Railway with its two new stations at Darlaston and Willenhall?
6. Is the Kings Norton, Kings Heath, Moseley, Balsall Heath railway still going ahead with its three new stations?
7. Has the cost of living crisis caused the postponement of the Walsall to Brum via Sutton Coldfield railway being brought back into use?
8. Are there plans for the Clean Air Zone to be made tighter to improve even further the quality of life and health of those living and working within the Ring Road?
9. Have our transport experts ever talked of road pricing to free up road space for essential business users and to deter car commuters who should be using bus, train and tram to get to and from work?
10. What is the latest cost of the Birmingham Eastside Metro extension?
11. What was the final cost of the Brum Westside extension?