to Liz Clements

How lovely to hear from you, Liz.  Thanks so much.  Made my day!

Linda and I love travelling on the trams, especially by getting off our no 9 bus and changing for the tram at Edgbaston Village just to have our OAPs free ride on the tram and bus into Brum centre!  I now go by the no 9 bus from Halesowen to get the tram at Edgbaston when I go to Wolverhampton.  A long way round just to have a ride on the smooth, super duper tram.  We've also been on the Nottingham tram and, in my case, the Edinburgh tram, too.

My problem with Metro is what I think is the unjustifiably enormous cost of the thing to build.  Especially, when it is mostly replacing and/or duplicating perfectly good bus and train services.

Especially, when we have inflation and the multiple crises of cost of living, energy and climate.

Especially, when the money could have been and, still can be, better spent on extending concessionary regional public transport travel to every single person who lives in the West Midlands.

Especially, when the bus priority measures are so much more cost effective in bribing car commuters out of their cars and onto buses to free up road space for essential road users.

Especially, when I fear, it is a somewhat wealth-flaunting and flash and highly prestigious transport mode.

Especially, when it buries my vertical guerrilla garden at Merry Hill Shopping Centre, trees, shrubs and the only public open space when the WBHE Phase 2 gets built.

But still highly desirable, I know!

Thanks again for writing, Liz.

Tim

to Liz Clements - Public funds for public good

Dear Liz

Public funds for public good and the lowest possible GHG emissions

ROUGH RULE OF THUMB:

£1 in price = 1 lb in weight of GHG

I am still insisting that green jobs do NOT come from extensions to High Scam 2, Metro trams or, Sprint buses simply because these are luxury, wealth-flaunting, highly extravagant and thus high GHG emitting projects.

They mean destroying yet more urban railway lines for light rail (LR) or very light rail (VLR) trams to go on them.  We end up with heavy rail (HR), LR and VLR to make for more changes between the different modes and a slower public transport journey.

They are a distraction from concentrating on the urgent need to free up road space and to save GHG by extending Fare-Free Public Transport to you youngsters and to bring in road pricing for car commuters.

The money could be used for strictly enforced bus lanes on every nearside lane with traffic light priority: green for approaching buses and red for cars in the outside lane, to discourage car commuting and to free up road space.

All the high falutin, flash projects mean there is less money for the more basic, urgent projects to update our buildings to solar power and to the highest energy efficiency standards.

Am I right, Liz or have I got things hopelessly wrong?  I would still love to meet you in person to get your thoughts, please.

Best wishes