Hi Chris - and to FoE member, David Gausson who was also at the Lunar transport meeting. I think I will copy in the Lunar Society and Joe Gaytten for them to correct me and to comment over anything, here - please.
I am so sorry I was not at yesterday's 7 pm meeting. Yesterday afternoon, Linda and I were called to our granddaughter's 3 year old birthday evening meal at 6 pm. There was no way I could excuse myself.
I wanted to talk to you about the Lunar Society meeting on transport. I was very concerned that for such a prestigious Society where "the issues of tomorrow are tackled today" BUT, "The Society does not itself take positions ... (but) inspiring its members to influence change" (their leaflet), not one person rose to take on my remarks about wondering if the authorities (and the official invited speakers on the evening) were climate deniers with the widespread, unanimous support for two mainline railways and bus routes being converted to tramways. I actually said that "hundreds of millions of pounds in both price and weight of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions had been spent on Metro over these four decades."
David told me that I had not given the name of the Black Country Railway
that was being converted to two light rail modes on 6 Kms in the middle of the available but wasted middle section. Yet, no one asked for the name or took any interest, whatsoever in what I had just said (and it was early on, too in the discussion). Yet again, no challenge, no disagreement or support. Only from David who is my excellent and valued critical friend who is wonderfully honest with me and does engage in discussion. There really is widespread apathy (especially by railway enthusiasts who should know better) over wasted urban railway lines, yet unanimous support for highly greedy, luxurious and extravagant tram extensions that take decades of work to achieve on those same railway lines!
On the eve of COP 28, would you believe, not one speaker mentioned climate or net zero or greenhouse gases. Was I the only one? Or, were there others, in fact? The front of the Lunar leaflet has "stimulating ideas; broadening debate; catalysing action". Is the Lunar Society and its frontline speakers afraid to take a position on the climate crisis or too timid to urge sensible, urgent action on it? Like everyone else, are they strong supporters of trams taking over from trains and buses to accelerate climate breakdown and eventual ecocide?
I think I said that Metro extensions must be abandoned to concentrate on returning the railways to the wasted lines. I meant but did not say, I believe, that these are the Kings Heath/Moseley line, the Sutton Line and, of course, the one of national importance and the only one of two railways between Brum and the Irish Sea - the 120 Kms Black Country Railway that must be finished and used.
Yesterday, I penned these questions that you might like to answer, perhaps. FROM my blog:
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