The main emphasis on rebuilding tram networks on railway lines and bus routes since 1980, with Manchester leading the way, has been a disastrous diversion from rebuilding our unused and partly used railway lines to address Climate, and congestion from wrong growth, problems.
Since Manchester's unfortunate lead with trams instead of trains and buses rebuilt and modernised and made fit for a response to lessening rather than increasing Climate problems, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased even faster, road congestion and pollution has worsened and we appear to have seen no growth in car commuters leaving their cars at home and using a more popular bus and railway provision to get to and from work.
Too much of our West Midlands railway network is still available for commuter and regional trains or, is freight only. But the childish emphasis is on wealth-flaunting, chest puffing out, keeping up with the Joneses of great international cities, prestigious tram extensions to impress and to give the poor Climate another punch in the solar plexus!
We must get our priorities sorted in the ways I've been arguing for over the decades.
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