ALL THAT GLISTERS IS NOT GOLD!
No democratic mandate for this WASTE! Never even one debate and vote in a single Council Chamber out of seven, since 1981, when it all started - unlike Edinburgh City Council over their tram and, later, tram extension to Leith and Newhaven!!
"The £227m Birmingham Eastside extension will help transform and support the regeneration of Digbeth through improving connectivity and making the most out of HS2. The 1.7km extension will run from Bull Street, in the city centre, to Digbeth, adding four new tram stops to the Metro network." 10 December 2020 press release from WMCA
This is a shocking expense at £133.5 m/Km of public money when electric buses would be a tiny fraction of the price. And, the money could be used to give EVERYONE free travel in the W Mids and not just my age group!
The Edgbaston tram extension that results in a longer and slower public transport journey from the west, is £75 m/Km of finite fossil fuel use from the public purse.
The M6 Toll was £21 m/Km of private money when it opened 17 years ago.
Rebuilding the 50 Kms Borders Railway through Scotland's Southern Uplands that opened in 2015 was £6 m/Km of greenhouse gas emissions. A big difference from the £133 m/Km for a tram line to be built, only five years on!
Metro is all about competing with Manchester for Brum to be a great, impressive, international city that has TRAMS, too! Very childish, grossly extravagant, over-indulgent and irresponsible. And, more deadly greenhouse gases in the construction and, track replacement every 17/18 years.
