Andy said "All three projects are full steam ahead" 25 July 2023

Peter Madeley has done a brilliant job in uncovering this financial scandal.  I have uncovered how Mayor Andy has developed the region's railways for TRAMS and a MUDWAY of all things!!  Two former mainline railways have been used for trams when, at a fraction of the price, both could have had their commuter, regional and even freight trains back at a fraction of the cost now squandered on Metro trams.

The UK's major, 22 Kms Black Country Cycle-Walk Mudway is on two former railway lines too but, unbelievably, Andy and the authorities cannot even do that job correctly and their incompetence has turned sections in all three council areas into impassable mud!!

On Radio WM, on Kath's 10 am Show, Andy said:

"You are not right in saying that they were suspended ... it is bad that Pipers Row extension is late but we are testing trams on that.  It will open very soon now subject to the testing ... WBHE has definitely never been suspended."  SELF: This is incorrect.  In the early summer of 2022, the whole WBHE  had to be stopped because of a shortfall of money to finish it.  It was therefore split into two phases.  That means it WAS suspended.  "WBHE Phase 2 now has the funding for the tram from Dudley to Merry Hill, so construction will go ahead ...  All three projects are full steam ahead."  SELF: The full WBHE was to terminate at Cottage St, Brierley Hill, not at Merry Hill.  Where is the new termination at the shopping centre?  WBHE is curtailed and cannot be completed because of its enormous cost.  Andy failed to make that clear on the radio on 25 July.  He hid embarrassing failings by the Combined Authority that the Express and Star had already uncovered, here:

"It came as Mr Parker called for an independent inquiry into schemes including the cash-strapped Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension, which has seen its budget surge by 45 per cent to £650m.

"Other flagging schemes include the long-delayed 700-metre Wolverhampton city centre extension, which has still not opened, and Birmingham Eastside, which won't fully open until 2027."  Peter Madeley, 5 July 2023

And again, "The money is there for the extension of the line through to Merry Hill."

How much is that money?

What is the cost of WBHE Phase 2, Dudley to Merry Hill?

FROM Peter Madeley on 5 July 2023:

"It emerged last month that a new business case is being drawn up for the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill line to reflect its increased cost.

"The part of the 6.8-mile route beyond Dudley has been split into three phases, with Dudley taxpayers funding the section between Waterfront and Merry Hill. The final stop to Brierley Hill remains unfunded."

SOURCE:-https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2023/07/03/delayed-delivery-and-broken-promises--labours-plan-to-move-away-from-tram-travel/