Good morning. Please answer these queries. Ed, what do you make of this? Reform?
How can lay people, some of whom must be in other employment, understand the long, detailed reports you write and send to the Committees and Boards? The writing is far from being in plain English and must be designed to be covert and only easily understood by the insider professional. Words used, 'descope', 'soft contingency', 'a change control application', 'deprioritised' and much more to obscure and confuse.
How can lay councillors get their heads round such jargon or even have time to try and understand what is being written?
"... the substantive budget pressure has been assessed at £125.7m." Does that mean the transport budget debt/overspend?
"the gross urgent cost pressure of £75.7m can be reduced by £8.3m to £67.4m." In 5.5 now down to £63.4m. In 5.7 down to £53.4m. This debt allows six projects in 5.7 to progress! Is this last sum in addition to the £125.7m?
I now give up reading this jargon, very detailed report. A summary is needed, please. Who wrote it? Very impressive report in many ways, however. Way beyond my capabilities to write.
Of the 7 leaders, who are full time in the post?
Who are part-time?
What does each get paid?
Why do these Magnificent Seven fail to ensure they live within their budget, as I do?
What was said in Andy's independent review into Metro that he asked for in 2021? Why was it never published?
"... the review into TfWM transport schemes which may need to make way to accommodate underspends." (5.5) What amount has been underspent and over what projects/schemes?
Will that review be made public?
Sprint is OTT - Metro is even more so!! Yet, you have substantial cost pressures! But also underspends. Explain, please.
Use the Sprint money to bring in Fare-Free Public Transport for you youngsters, too and for everyone. Not just my old crocks age group.
BUS LANE MEANING FOR THE VEHICLE AND BUSINESS:-
Use the Sprint money to bring in strictly enforced bus and essential business user nearside lane, with priority measures on Hagley Road as the carrot for commuters who don't need their cars for their jobs. Two year experiment. More road space is then made available for essential business users who can use either lane without penalty. Unregistered cars get a penalty if they are in the bus/business only lane.
Use Sprint money and staff to insulate the homes of the poorest at a time of growing energy/climate crisis.
Sprint is far too expensive in price and in weight of GHG emissions. Just like Metro!
How do the officers decide when to go for Sprint and when for Metro and when to put in both modes?
What about bringing buses and trains up to standard and railway lines used for railway trains?
Tim
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