Proposed resolution to show solidarity with Clean Kilo - the zero waste and organic food shop

Proposed resolution to show solidarity with Clean Kilo - the zero waste and organic food shop at 1 Gibb Street, Digbeth

This meeting of Birmingham and Black Country Left Unity political party has passed this resolution today, ..., 2021

We are very concerned that this low climate impact, sociable and socialist, small business is in danger of closure for reasons that include the devasting road works outside the shop for the very high impacting Metro tram works.

We note that the tram is called a "bus on rails" when we already have buses without rails directly on roads that would be simpler and cheaper to replace with electric ones than the ten times more expensive per Km to construct Metro trams.

We join Mayor, Andy Street in his "utterly unacceptable" description of the £5 m replacement of the five-year-old tram tracks in Corporation Street that is threatening the livelihoods of the workers in the businesses in that road, too.

We fully support the Brum cyclists who are up in arms at their exclusion from part of Broad Street because of the trams taking over from buses and cars - and now cycles, too - in that, former major bus route into the city centre.

We condemn the sidelining of public transport and cycling in this way when it is urgent that we act on the city council's climate emergency declaration in 2019:

1. by slashing the unnecessary expenditure of deadly greenhouse gases.
2. by discouraging car use and encouraging the use of buses directly on roads, minus the rails and, cycling.
3. by encouraging those with disabilities to have greater freedom to choose, if they wish, to move around the city, in their cars, on less congested roads.

WE CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS ON CLEAN KILO FROM DECISIONS MADE WITH ALL GOOD INTENT BUT IS NOW SHOWING VERY SERIOUS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

Tim Weller

Clean Kilo at 1 Gibb Street, Deritend, Digbeth

FROM:

https://www.facebook.com/719589581561370/posts/1745839045603080/?sfnsn=scwspmo

"Metro Line Works:

Another great initiative and we see the long-term positives. However, small businesses will be most affected during the construction. Lane closures/traffic/diversions and noise pollution make it undesirable to come in the area. Pneumatic diggers operating only a few metres away from our shop make our Ice Cream bar, outdoor café & Meet the Producer events unappealing - it’s hard to even hear customers talking! Our customer parking from the High Street was blocked off – customers must disregard the no entry sign to come in. There was no public consultation engagement with us prior the works."

MY COMMENTS:

Totally unacceptable, as is £5m for replacing tram tracks in Corporation Street after only 5 years; and buses being permanently excluded from Broad Street and even cycles banned from part of it. All at 10 times more expensive per Km than rebuilding a railway!

Self-aggrandisement, vanity, high greenhouse gas emitting in construction Metro tram is definitely NOT: "Another great initiative and we see the long-term positives." When we could have electric buses directly on roads, why have what the authorities call a "bus on rails" tram? And, at ten times per Km more expensive to construct than rebuilding a railway!

"The clean air zone is a fantastic initiative for the health of Birmingham residents & CO2 reduction. However, for this kind of initiative to work, good public transport and cycling infrastructure needs to be fully in place before it’s launched and allow time for city centre businesses to recover from Covid first."