MODAL MUSICAL CHAIRS!

5 March 2004 21:41

To: John Maund

DUDLEY AND SANDWELL METRO

MODAL MUSICAL CHAIRS!
In the 1960s, our transport experts closed the rail line now used for Metro One to mean that train passengers transferred mainly to cars.  To now claim that 20% of passengers are likely to be car owners who have chosen Metro One trams - as David Bull, Head of Transport Strategy said at a public meeting on 5 February 2004 - completely overlooks the fact that the car drivers were the ones who had to transfer to their cars from trains.  They have now simply transferred back - but to trams instead of the original trains!

Put another way, after a gap of 20-30 years, the 20% of car owners who
chose the tram, simply undid the enforced modal shift of a similar percentage when the train passengers had to resort to their cars when the current Metro line closed to trains in the 1960s.  In other words, it is not a genuine modal shift from cars to trams.  It is actually, a 20% modal shift from TRAIN to tram!  Returning the trains would have been more cost effective and sensible - and, quicker and easier to achieve, too!  It would also have helped with the modernisation of the West Coast Mainline.

From my research, 77% of the first three Metro lines are to go on rail
lines; the remaining 23% on roads.  Therefore, since Metro development
(lines 1,2,3) is seeing 77% of its trams replacing trains and the further
23% replacing buses, is the colossal expense a prudent and sensible use of taxpayers' money?  Of course it is not.  It simply plays musical chairs
with now three Cinderella and failing public transport modes while car use continues to rise inexorably and completely untouched by all our huffing and puffing to get trams to replace - actually - buses and trains.

Rob Donald, Richard Worrall and David Pywell, our Big Three transport
chiefs, are suffering from self-delusion - that the trams are taking over
from cars!  Incidentally, not one of them turned up for last week's major
Transport Summit at the Burlington Hotel, New Street - except Rob - for the free lunch, only!

to Sandra Green re King Bus and HS2, Metro, Sprint at the bottom of the prestige pile

Until upright, honest people put a stop to the fraudulent, financial abuse of billions in price and in weight of greenhouse gases going into High Scam 2, Metro and Sprint, buses will continue to lurch from one 3 monthly handout to another and buses will continue to be the forlorn, forgotten, Cinderella mode that gets stuck in traffic as car commuters block its path and business vehicles are hindered.

Literally, a handout of billions for Metro tram and Sprint extensions that destroy railway lines, destroy nature and create more congestion and mayhem in their construction and use.  Fare-Free Public Transport of the kind that I have had for 15 years must be given to ALL.

Dudley No 1 Canal embankment, public open space and lots of nature at Merry Hill SC all get spoilt or obliterated by tram construction.  Already, the UK's very last principal mainline railway "of national strategic significance" has been destroyed by Metro largesse given to build the trams.  As well as to bring in multi-modal rail transport hubs to make for more changes and delays in our journeys.

A public marketing campaign to shame the thoughtless, selfish car commuter who clogs up the roads must be mounted to reward them with free bus, train and tram travel in the region if they leave their beloved in the garage.

BUS at the top of the prestige pile and High Scandal 2, Metro and Sprint at the bottom!

Tim Weller

KING CAR

I want to add what Chris wrote here,

"... the launch of the consultation the whole document was attacked by some in the room as anti-car or not mentioning the car ……this was rebutted by Ian Ward of BCC indicating that the car is mentioned loads of times in the document and he also went onto say that some 255 of households across the WM do not have access to a car."

I was also at that full CA Board meeting.  I thought it was only Cllr Mike Bird, Leader of Walsall Council who, for a second time at recent CA meetings I've attended, sounded off about the pre-eminence of King Car and its downplay by the officers of TfWM.  I spoke to one of the officers after that earlier meeting who completely shared our conviction that the vast majority of car drivers are well catered for already and it must be the minority of the population who depend on public transport that must be properly provided for.  I came away from that conversation with the officer that Mike Bird is out on a limb over his passion for all things cars and that his vocal opinion will not be followed by TfWM.  In fact, it is the Celebrity Car and the Cinderella, downtrodden bus that is the reality everywhere in our region, anyway.  Mike has his way.  It is the status quo.

From my dealings with TfWM, they are working with single minded determination to boost tram, bus and train use and fully support the CAZ.  I'm wanting to support them over their efforts to cut car commuting and reward bus users financially (£2 bus fare that we want as fare free for all).  However, I remain strongly against tram and Sprint extensions on grounds of cost, social justice and, that that effort - all of it - must go into insulating and solar powering every building.

Thirdly, after attending so many council and CA meetings, I have come to the conclusion that they are pure talking shops.  Never a debate, never a vote, but always a nice natter that we all enjoy down the pub or coffee shop.  The councillors like Mike Bird can huff and puff all they like about motorists who must always be put first and have an easier life to drive all they wish and wherever they like.  Exactly what happens now.  The reality is that the officers rule the roost and the members, like Mike, must rubber stamp the officers every decision - the exact opposite of how democracy is supposed to work!

And, anyway, isn't TfWM meant to concern itself only with public transport?

Tim Weller