to Mick Freer

Dear Mick

For me, and this is all about my survival instinct to help slow human caused climate change and resource depletion, it would be a wise move to begin the long transition towards using our local countryside for locally produced food; and, to grow renewable, zero carbon timber instead of catastrophic and finite fossil fuels. For me, this is the most important argument to slow the incessant process of concrete, brick and tarmac poured over fertile soil that, one day, we may be desperate for. For the politicians' goal of 2 or 3% economic greed every year on a finite planet that ain't so greedy as us lot, how about this, below? The Enterprise Zone would be better created, either on the land at Moor Street, Brierley Hill (the site of the former Brierley Hill Steel Terminal) or, north of Pensnett High Street. I am asking (a futile and ignored request) for Moor Street to be the site for the Very Light Rail (VLR) project and Innovation Centre and, for the test track to use the branch line to the cleared land north of Pensnett High Street. This would then allow the 13 miles mainline Black Country Line (with reinstated extension to Lichfield) to be reopened, once more, for local and ICE (inter city express) trains on both tracks, However, our councillors (except wonderful Will) and transport officials want only one mile and one track to be used to shuttle passengers to the ICE line in the neighbouring borough of Sandwell. The other track is to be a test track for VLR. The Black Country has its own, unused ICE line but doesn't realise it! We have two brown field enterprise zones but don't realise it! Unless we use them, we continue to worsen all our road and rail congestion problems. We also fuel the cry for more motorways to give us land next to them for growth/greed from the take, make and throw away life styles that has made us all so rich. Rich from relentless industrialism and finite resource exploitation that one day must come to an end. Living more simply and constructively so that others may simply live. And, prioritising land use and transport projects. What do you think? Tim Weller