Cut GHG emissions in this way

These recommendations are for the Council and everyone in this time of urgently needing to cut our finite fossil fuel emissions - personally, by the council and by regional/national decision makers:

RECOMMENDATIONS

Every new home must be 100% electricity.

Must be E/W oriented to have 100% covering of PV solar panels.

The battery storage must be double the power of the solar array.

To save energy, every new home should have the lounge, dining, kitchen on the first floor with bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor.  Upside down living!  Old age infirmities and disabilities are catered for in this way, too!

The garden, front and back, should be no bigger than our own at 28 Hunnington Crescent, Halesowen - pretty modest, so a tall order!

Always rising, never falling GHG emissions must also be cut by abandoning multi-modal public transport to concentrate on commuter trains not trams on our existing but wasted regional railway lines and for Fare-Free Public Transport for all ages (not just mine!)

AND:​

 Bus and businesses at the centre of a virtuous circle

​

One state for all faiths and of none in Israel/Palestine

Globalise the non-violent struggle (or intifada) for a multi-faith, tolerant, peaceful state for all peoples in Palestine-Israel.  Keep it as a democratic, socially just state for all faiths and none.  Keep BOTH names.  An official, dual name for the whole of the unHoly Land.

The present 100% Jewish state needs to learn from the non-violent, generous and Good Samaritan-like parts of their Hebrew Scriptures to start learning how to live in peaceful co-existence with their neighbouring countries as friends, instead of warring against them as enemies.

Israel's indiscriminate and discriminatory/racist slaughter of Palestinians is unlawful, a war crime and counter-productive because it reinforces the love of hatred, revenge and violence for both peoples - Jews/Christians and Muslims.  It breaks the Jewish/Christian Sixth Commandment.

A state surrounded by enemies for 77 years, instead of friends, is tragic and is the hallmark of a failed state.  Poor old Israel: victory in every war but never at peace​!

Israel must be the ultimate international example of the folly of war.  It never works - unless you have total and unconditional surrender - last seen in 1945 to end the Judeo-Christian nations' wars started in 1914.  But that led to the Israel Forever War on and in Palestine, the Cold War and, two decades later, to the catastrophic Ukraine War (Feb 2014 to present).

Instead of destruction, try construction!

Dear friends

You decision makers, over the years, have destroyed six Dudley railway lines.  WAKE UP!

 Dudley's Six Smashed railway lines

You top people prefer sitting in traffic congestion rather than using your TRAINS and bringing in free buses for all - not just for my old geezers age group.  Wake up!

NEVER ANY CLIMATE ACTION

You lot are complacent and careless and apathetic over your own self-declared 2020 Climate Emergency.

You decision makers have made Climate worse because of your choice of railway destruction and, instead, Metro tram construction on wasted/unused railways.

Billions of public money squandered - and enormous cost in weight of GHG emissions (do you know what that GHG stands for?) - since 1981 with your foolish obsession with replacing/duplicating trains and buses with trams.

THEREFORE, NOW:

Reinstate the Nature destroyed on the central reservation of the Halesowen Bypass, aka Manor Way B63 that was wiped out when the carriageways were reconstructed in the 1990s.  No reinstatement!

Fill the gaps in the lollipop trees with more standard trees to capture carbon dioxide and slow Climate Catastrophe.  Net Zero = Nature sequestering CO2.

Thicken up the shrubs and trees by saving money and not mowing, even once a year!

Only mow the grass on a one metre strip either side of the carriageways.  Let Nature take over the middle section of the Manor Way central reservation.  As we had last century.  A remnant does remain to show you what so much more was once there.

Do the pocket handkerchief, Lapal Lane South tree scheme on the other side of the footpath from the 5G mast on the Halesowen Bypass.  Or, let me do it for you.  I will pay for the few trees, anyway - honest!  My guerrilla gardening efforts keep on getting obliterated by your council workers!  STOP  IT or, do it yourselves!

Official report on Metro - extract. Dated 15 November 2024

The Wednesbury Brierley Hill Extension (WBHE) Final Business Case (FBC) was approved by WMCA Board in 2017 and WBHE Phase 2 was approved by WMCA Board in March 2019.

12.2 WBHE is part of the Metro Expansion Programme commenced in 2016 and includes the following light rail extension within the WM Region.

• Wolverhampton Station (opened in 2023)

• Edgbaston Village (opened in 2022)

• New Street/Grand Central (opened in 2015)

• Birmingham Eastside Extension (under construction) and

• Wednesbury to Brierley Hill (Phase 1 under construction) 

12.3 In June 2022, it was first reported to WMCA Board that the projected costs of the WBHE had increased as a consequence of inflationary pressures within the supply chain triggered by the COVID pandemic and war in Ukraine along with additional scope pressures. Work was commissioned to pursue value engineering and reviewing finance and engineering assumptions.

12.4 WMCA Board in June 2023 concluded the delivery of the full extension was deemed to be unaffordable at that time, and the WBHE project was partitioned into phases.

• Phase 1: Wednesbury to Flood St., Dudley

• Phase 2a: Flood St, Dudley to Waterfront Business Park

• Phase 2b: Waterfront to Merry Hill Shopping Centre 

• Phase 2c: Merry Hill Shopping Centre to Brierley Hill Town Centre

12.5 Phase 1 of the scheme from Wednesbury to Dudley has been fully funded and is in the final stages of construction and is scheduled to complete in Autumn 2025.

Why aggression must be repelled by force continues the never ending cycle of violence/retaliation

In response to - 'IAdmireAngelinaJolie'

I do find it strange that an Israeli peacenik should write, "In my view the ultimate evil in the world is aggression, and the only way to repel aggression is unfortunately by force."

Is not using force or violence, aggression also? Both Israelis and Palestinians accuse the other of just that - aggression. It gets them nowhere but to yet more revenge violence. Revenge is so sweet for the victim of aggression. However, when the victim of aggression hits back, we call that terrorism. Hence, al Qaeda, the Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic State, some Palestinians are all terrorists. Our side - NATO and Israel - are the peaceniks, the peacemakers because we use our violence and aggression - whoops, I mean force - to bring peace out of aggression by our military might is right!

This is all absolutely absurd. Better to talk to terrorists, who are people like us and get a negotiated, permanent settlement - as in N Ireland. Netanyahu and Abbas may then become the Israel/Palestinian Chuckle Brothers like Paisley and McGuinness were in N Ireland. That is even more absurd!

I was surprised to read that many Quakers joined up in even the 1WW that led to the second half of the one World War. Ten years of war that started in the supposedly 'Christian' nations of Europe and then brought in all the numerous nations of those 'Christian' empires around the world. We can't blame the Muslims for this 20th century carnage and, without the Communists, we would never have won in 1945. It was mainly our side that initiated this death and destruction in 1914 - and, solely Western Europe in 1939.

Still, to this day, we steadfastly vote for the three main political parties who are the war parties for every year for, at least, the last one hundred years (source: Guardian 12.2.14). We only remember to continue our war crimes of aggression and the businesses that fuel them. Quakers are not exempt!

Why does our Judeo-Christian side ...

... much more often implement the violent examples and commands of the Bible than the clear and obvious NON-VIOLENT teaching of the New Testament?

Rarely the fine Good Samaritan or the challenging teaching of Matthew 5, 6 and 7. Never forgiveness and mercy and reducing our cognitive dissonance aka hypocrisy!

WE can profit every time from OUR aggression but never the other side! If the Other attempt it they get Amalekited. Shocking double standards!

Deal with road traffic congestion in this way

AIM:-

More and smaller, more frequent buses to take over from fewer cars, especially commuter cars.

BY;-

Use the staff working on Metro and the continuing tram expansion to divert those people and funds into giving EVERY bus passenger FREE TRAVEL that I have had for 17 years as an OAP.

PLUS:

Accelerate the reopening of the Brum Camp Hill Railway from your former tram plan changed in 2016, to using it for commuter TRAINS - still not achieved after nine years!

PLUS:

The other existing W Midlands railways.

PLUS:-

Car Climate Charging per mile, spy in the car technology, on top of VED.

REASON:

We are fast depleting our planet's oil reserves. 

We are fast accelerating the Climate Emergency which is being ignored by almost every nation, most of all by the ignorant American-led and greedy Western nations.  In addition - 

The car-free for all scenario.

PLUS

greedy economic/ecocidal growth means more motorways and/or widening.  This is insane.

PLUS

My suggestion in 'Businesses and buses at the centre of a virtuous circle'.

Do those suggestions of mine have your support, John?

More people need to write with their ideas for the decision makers to implement, to try and reverse the rot.

Linda and I, took one of our grandchildren to see the Giants exhibition in the Gas Hall at BMAG this morning.  It reminded me that humanity is in no way immune from extinction, too and, we are doing such a good job of it, too!

Not in my Name

I am livid that my taxes are used to support the ever so ethical, righteous and democratic Judeo-Christian West, for two years, arming Israel to the teeth. Thus, we have turned Gaza into a demolition site, flattening the homes of children and their parents still living in them. How cruel and inhuman is this? We support an Israel government obeying God to wipe out the Gazans just as he told them to do exactly the same with the Amalekites in the Bible - annihilation.

This is not just an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, as taught in the Old Testament but a retaliation that is 70 times 7 that Jesus taught was meant for forgiveness NOT revenge! OTT, indiscriminate slaughter, that looked as though it was going on for years. God's command to wipe off the face of the earth every evil Hamas person was finally cut short by the very man that the God fearing American electorate had elected with such enthusiasm  - 80% of evangelical Christians. How ironic!

Gaza, OUR human abattoir stopped. Thank Trump but not the God of the Judeo-Christian West  - renowned for our inhumanity.

from Greenpeace - unearthed@act.greenpeace.org.uk

Global coal use hits record, despite renewables boom 

Global coal consumption hit a record high in 2024, even as renewable energy surged, according to a State of Climate Action report. Rising electricity demand meant more coal was burned overall, threatening efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C under the Paris Agreement.

 

While the report says solar and wind grew “exponentially,” their expansion needs to double to meet decade-end emissions targets. Industrial emissions, particularly from steel, remain high, and the carbon footprint of heating buildings is not shrinking fast enough. Deforestation is also continuing at alarming rates, with over 8m hectares lost last year.

 

Some governments, including India and the US under Donald Trump, are doubling down on coal, though these impacts could be offset if other major players like China and the EU continue favouring renewables.

Porritt, in his latest blog post

As we all need to keep reminding people, overall energy consumption here in the UK has actually declined by a massive 28% over the last 20 years – one of the reasons why our greenhouse gas emissions have declined by 40% during that time. As the indefatigable Andrew Warren points out:

“There is no good reason why this trend should not continue. There are still approaching nine million homes on the gas network running gas-guzzling boilers, and many of these could readily switch to electric heating. There are still some fifteen million homes with grossly inadequate insulation. And still a majority without energy efficient glazing”.

October 2025 expedition to Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP

Chasing down 5 Graham hills in 6 days, Monday to Saturday inclusive to be present for the Jed/Jayne nut roast feast on the Sunday.  Total for Sept/Oct is 14 in 20 days away from home.  Leaves 154 left at 77 and 3/4 years old!

Day 1 was travelling up after being with Jed at Little Fishes but, surprisingly quick with lighter than normal traffic on M6 northbound.  Got to Inversnaid Hotel to car camp and then long, very tiring day on Tuesday for the Graham in low cloud, N of Ptarmigan.

Dreadful conditions underfoot meant that I should have gone via Ptarmigan from Rowardennan.  That way you drop down to the 450 m col, from the 731 m summit on the way to the 632 m Graham. Compass was essential but the GPS was reassuring and a help in getting to the low summit cairn.  At least I walked part of the West Highland Way I had never walked before.  Met a 10-year-old who got his dad to take him on it to Fort William camping all the way.  But did they manage the full length?

Wednesday was the direct route to Meall Mor 747 m, with 600 m height gain in 1.5 Kms = 40% slope if 100% is vertical.  Is that right?  Safer to take the longer route to the NW.  Fabulous views from the top.

Thursday was Ben Venue, above Trossachs Pier.  SS Sir Walter Scott steamer with biofuel turbines for clean emissions on Loch Katrine with its drinking water for Glasgow.  Steamship cafe, towering viewpoint and lots of toilets.  All this modern, no expense spared, top tourist attraction was very good.  Lots of walkers on the hill that is really circuitous and up and down on the final section!

Friday saw an afternoon quick 4 hrs to the Strathyre Graham, then car camp at Balquhidder; and Saturday a cycle and climb to the summit round a curved ridge where the best view was down to Loch Voil from the summit I wanted to be the summit!  Found a rowan growing out of a large boulder and saw a fox and deer on the summit ridge.  Then a fast car drive home at no more than 70 mph and exactly 2,000 revs.  Jed's birthday bash was my first proper meal in seven days.  I had gone down to 58 Kg before the slap-up feast, courtesy of 2-year-old Jed!  Jayne's delicious nut roast would not allow remaining out a day longer.  I deserved it.  Back to normal 63 Kg weight!

The unbelievable horror show - aggression pays, every time, with us renegades

The unbelievable horror show for which we ourselves are wholly to blame - Ghastly Gaza.

From 1945, there were three Jewish/Zionist terrorist gangs, with one now renamed as the IDF.  The three saw off the mightiest and biggest empire humanity has seen, with the financial support of the USA from day one.  Terrorism and aggression, in 1948 and in subsequent wars, were rewarded with the land of Palestine and yet more land as our side won further victories in the wars.  No wonder the unHoly Land has been in tragic turmoil ever since, as Palestinians have objected to their treatment by the West is Best.

Indeed, unbelievable behaviour by the Judeo-Christian West in the very centre of the Muslim Arab world.

We are the Ghastly Bad Samaritans who cannot even attempt to live by the standards we boast about.

Yet, never any insight or recognition or acknowledgement of what we lot are really like.

Astonishing!

We have sent weapons and military products to Israel for them to spend two years in turning Gaza into a demolition site with the families still living in the apartments and homes flattened by the military violence.

Mass slaughter of 67,000 of our fellow humans, with tens of thousands with life-changing injuries, from babies to the frail elderly, in an area of land smaller than the Isle of Wight.  Two years, during which we have allowed our great friend and ally to turn Gaza into an abattoir, not for cattle, but for humans.

Not one of our national leaders has ever expressed anything like anger, or been outspoken, at what WE have been doing to our fellow human beings.

My answer to tramways being built throughout the UK

Do you think I am on the right lines with this?  Please be honest and frank!

Good news: We can write to our MPs, councillors to call for a cooler Climate by vigorously opposing the calls for high GHG emitting HS2 extension and trams replacing/duplicating buses/trains in W Midlands, West Yorkshire, Nottingham, Cardiff, Manchester Edinburgh ... The money saved to reverse the decline in bus use and existing/remaining railway lines used for trains, not trams, roads and buildings.  Am I right?

All rail based transport is like cream - very nice and smooth but the concrete and steel is very high in greenhouse gas emissions in producing the stuff.  Therefore naughty!!

Are you able to tell me who you liaised with in Brum at 16 Summer Lane, please?  Who is the most sympathetic to commuter/regional trains on mainline railways instead of trams?  And electric buses directly on roads instead of "bus on rails" on roads, as the UK Tram Ltd promotion group director, Andrew Broddick called it when interviewed on 'Today', at the time of the Croydon tram crash in November 2016.

I wrote this five years ago:

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

"Let's build new tram lines with routes where people want to go" - 'Inside Croydon' (only, please!!)

PLEASE FORWARD to Anthony and Stephen.  Everyone else please read, think and inwardly digest - to produce some creative answers for me.  Thanks.

Dear Anthony Norris-Watson and Stephen Spark (I can't remember who on earth they are!)

  A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM

Why is it that only electric "bus on rails" trams can "take thousands of cars off our roads every day" but never electric buses linked into reinstated trains and stations?

"Bus on rails" trams was the description that Andrew Broddick of UK Trams Ltd gave on the 'Today' programme to help explain 62 injuries and 7 deaths on Croydon Tramlink in November 2016.

Why can only trams "relieve overcrowded existing routes" and not by making use of existing but wasted railway lines, with commuter trains, that would have avoided the tragedy in 2016?

Why only trams to "serve corridors where there is a high or rising demand" but never electric buses, linked into trains returned to existing railway lines, that would reduce the need for multiple changes?

Why is it always trams to "stimulate development in areas that suffer deprivation" like the four Black Country boroughs when its neighbour, Birmingham Grand Central station, remains "one of the worst railway congestion bottlenecks in the UK" - Peter Plisner,  BBC 'Midlands Today'.

Why is it always trams chosen to "duplicate existing public transport links"?

When "Funds will be tight in a post-Covid, post-Brexit environment", why only tram schemes when they are the second most expensive mode to construct after HS2 and have a higher accident rate than either bus or train?

When tram extensions are often ten times more expensive per Km to construct than putting diesel/electric trains back on even rebuilt railway lines (cf Borders Railway), why are they always chosen to duplicate, replace and make for even more multiple changes between bus, train and tram?

Why are "bus on rails" trams chosen over commuter, regional and intercity trains on two short sections of a half-finished, 120 Kms principal, mainline railway "of national strategic significance"?

  "of national strategic significance".pdf

There are proposals and, active plans now being implemented, for three different kinds of trams over four short sections of this nationally important, partly finished railway!!  Pre Metro shuttle tram, Very Light Rail tram and Light Rail tram.

Why complicate public transport travel in this way?

Why cannibalise unused railway lines for tram lines?  And, leave many miles of unused railway lines wasted for more decades or forever!

Has no one thought of trains for train lines that have not yet been used for the bizarre, eccentric activity of running homes, offices, shops and roads down them?

Complete amateurs have rebuilt entire railway lines.  Why can't the professionals put TRAINS BACK on existing, entire, already built railway lines?

Economic growth for all but the planet - that cannot!

Does your drive for economic growth mean a rising population to feed more families that will also fuel the growth of everything else - buildings, roads and power lines? Does economic growth mean a rising Climate and Nature crises? Does economic growth mean more multi-modal rail and bus modes? Does economic growth mean widening more motorways and junctions? Which ones are you talking up? Jct 2, M5, Oldbury? Thanks for a well organised and most worthwhile Stoke Summit on Friday. TIM WELLER 0791 380 4363

Climate not greed compliance!

It is not just the huge, immoral cost of trams (we all love them, but) but they are the wrong priority and greedy. Metro trams are at the top of Andy Street's and now Richard Parker's multi-modal transport programme. Four rail modes and three bus modes are totally unacceptable when the money must go for green hydrogen, renewables, grid reform, retrofitting, car commuters clogging roads, regional Fare-Free Public Transport for all and true Climate compliant expenditure that will cut GHG emissions in the medium to long term. I don't think there is any movement over Climate compliance measures by the authorities. They are still playing at it. Some talk but little effective action. I think we all need to be more assertive and united for the funds to be more fairly distributed and for the morally right Climate measures. What do you think? Am I right or wrong? Feedback, please.

OTT transport provision for W Mids but not Stoke!

Dear Nigel

​We have everything; you have nothing!  I know it is all relative. 

I was the skinny, balding old man who sat next to you for the last session with the MPs on Friday afternoon.  I gave you the pink sheet you are welcome to give me feedback on, if you wish.  Email attachment, at the foot.

I said to Gareth Snell, at the close that all the transport projects on all of your wish lists could be met if only you would oppose the TfWM/WMCA/Midlands Connect £15 billion (Jan 2020 figure) by 2040 for 150 miles of 8 lines of trams and 380 tram stops.  We all love trams.  However, should the Climate Emergency override that and bring about a little restraint?  Gareth would not dream of questionning what the West Midlands is getting.

Is this a correct and a fair enough view, from me, of Friday's meeting, do you think?

4 STOKE MPs hanker after a Mayor

Midlands Connect Summit at Stoke, 12 September 2025

"As a Sub-national Transport Body, Midlands Connect", is to make "the Midlands region fairer, greener and stronger for everyone who lives here."

My attendance brings this:

FOUR STOKE MPs hanker after a Mayor.

In a conversation with me, Gareth Snell would not dream of questioning the projects that Mayor Richard Parker has secured for the West Midlands Combined Authority and Midlands Connect organisation.  In effect,

• "Good luck to what they get, I cannot criticise the billions coming their way and virtually nothing for us."
• 'It is of no concern of mine to be bothered about the billions in weight of deadly greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted'. (what Gareth was thinking!)
• CLIMATE EMERGENCY was never mentioned.
• Tens of billions secured for the highly prestigious HS2 for the West Midlands and not Staffordshire.
• This largesse is widely ridiculed as being nowhere near being completed after 16 years and will not be for another 10 years, just to Birmingham.
• The HS1 line never increased capacity.  Nor will High Scam 2 when it has no stations, so you have to keep the existing intercity service!!
• It ends at Handsacre, an insignificant village in Staffordshire.
• But even the much-looked-up-to WMCA failed to get its 200 Kms and 10-line tramway network by the year 2000.
• By that date, it had a paltry 20 Kms with 18 Kms on the first mainline railway.  This, to replace commuter trains for many times more per Km!
• It has a trifling 23 Kms, 
• Now, £15 billion to 2040 for 150 miles of tramway, 8 lines and 380 tram stops.
• Failed to complete its motorway box on its western side.
• Has such horrendous motorway congestion that drivers use it at night to escape long hold-ups.

The WMCA and Midlands Connect have destroyed the UK's only railway "of national strategic significance" that could have taken vehicles off the M5/M6.  Work is ongoing to turn it into a dog walkers' paradise of a cycle-walkway.  In other parts, our cllrs/MPs and transport experts have put buildings, a test track and, shortly, 6.7 Kms of trams (simply a “bus on rails”) on two sections.

120 Kms between Worcester and Derby.  One of only two north-south railways between Brum and the Irish Sea now drowned, dead from political and transport expert idiocy, breathtaking incompetence and stunning indifference.

PHOTO of the principal, mainline railway for dog walkers/cyclists, near Brownhills!!

 M6 Toll 03.jpg

There are Staffordshire railway lines wasted and overgrown in the Stoke area.

• But brilliant for Nature and bees - and Climate compliance.
• The Stoke Midlands Connect Summit ended with the four MPs wanting top billing for the A50/A500 upgrade.  It's already dual carriageway!
• Yet more clamour for PRIVATE transport as public transport remains in the doldrums.

The enormous gulf in funding between Stoke and the West Midlands is laid bare, here:

4 rail modes for West Midlands.  NOT FOR STOKE - it has to make do with one.

3 bus modes for the W Mids.  NOT FOR STOKE - just one for them.

But Stoke MPs must not interfere in other MPs’ business - over anything, so they have to keep silent!

You wonderfully listed a number of places that could and should have improved transport but the names meant nothing to me.  I would love to have more details, please and I'll look them up on the OS maps.

What, exactly, are you campaigning for?

I would love to have your honest, frank thoughts on that pink sheet I gave you - please!

 Public Transport in the Doldrums

Near Brownhills on the Staffordshire section of the wasted 56 Kms between Stourbridge and Burton between London and Edinburgh.

 M6 Toll banner 01.jpg

Railfuture's full map of 2003 - no progress, whatsoever.  Just regress.  Only continuing destruction!

 Railfuture's full map.pdf

What do you think of my thought that your public transport provision is threadbare compared to ours in the W Midlands.  We have four rail modes:

High Speed - tens of billions in price and weight of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Heavy Rail - although about 100 Kms of railway lines in the heart of motorway-congested Midlands still unused or partly used.  About 100 Kms have been destroyed for roads, building and for:

Light Rail, and

Very Light Rail in Coventry and the test track at the former Dudley Castle Hill mainline railway station.

And three bus modes - the Sprint bus that thinks it's a tram;

Guided busways

Regular buses

Do you think that this is OTT as regards railway provision, when the national debt is rising with increased interest payments on them and, rising temperature, too from rising GHG emissions?

Was it you who told me that you would have cycled to today's transport meeting but you thought a suit was essential?  I always cycle to my local meetings in Brum from Halesowen, a distance of nine miles on over six miles of traffic-free routes - and I'm 77!

WMCA Growth Plan 2025

Point 1:

A Showpiece to impress and flatter; a glossy piece of propaganda to entice inward investment

The word 'Climate' is mentioned 11 times.  Net-zero, 20 times.  Hydrogen 4 times.

In reply to your points.

The Growth Plan has only just been published and is full of good intentions, fine words promising Paradise on earth for all.

In order to get better connectivity, all the magnificent, multi-modal mish-mash of different kinds of public transport must be done to raise the living standards of everyone and, to banish deprivation for an eternity.  The Growth Plan is like a political party's manifesto that must be produced every few years but is scan read, I suspect, by very few.  Much of the document is the recitation of the bleeding obvious and is over optimistic, especially assuming that rising prosperity is inevitable - anyway, certainly for the rich. 

Who does read it from cover to cover?

Is it for reference, only perhaps?

Is it a marketing document to show off the West Midlands at its best?

Do councillors and officers follow it, like the Bible, that tells them what they have to do?

Who buys it?

How many copies are printed?

What was achieved in the previous Growth Plan?

Can we see the results?

Point 2:

£2.4 billion for transport and infrastructure, when we need, in my opinion, my

 Bus and businesses at the centre of a virtuous circle

Hotel entrances: one with the canopy and the other with the waterfall!

The first was the 'Lodge on the Loch' (Lomond) which allowed me to park under their canopy outside the front entrance so I could get the bike out of the car without the rain pouring onto my sleeping bag when I lifted the back up to get the bike out.  They were then happy to have the bike in an empty room for two nights.  WELL DONE to them!

The second was the Royal Hotel at Comrie in Perth and Kinross County.  Worn-out and leaking lead flashing meant that in the heavy rain of Storm Amy, you had to negotiate a waterfall to then get behind it to open the front door.  Mostly, it was just a drip that was fun to dodge to get at the front door handle!

September 2025 expedition to Graham hills

10 major 2000 foot hills visited: 9 Grahams and one other in ten days.

14 day expedition of 13 nights - ten sleeping in the car, the last 3 nights in three different hotels - Royal in Comrie after my cycle ride and walk in the immaculate estate of a Russian oligarch; Travelodge at Kilmarnock, Ayrshire after the internal wheel arch mudguard dropped off; Westmorland Hotel at Tebay after a stormy and wet walk of five miles around the nearby country lanes.

3 summits above Glen Luss on the first day's walk, two on the second and one on the third to get that area completed.  Next, the two above Glen Douglas where there is a new metal sign indicating you've arrived at the 'Hill Access car park'.  Except, I saw it all too late after a torturous walk back from the second hill with long grass, a new tree planting scheme and then a beautiful right-angled tear in my trousers from the damned barbed wire fence!

Excellent Lidl in Alexandria for GB 10 size women's sports trousers, bought and worn immediately for £13!  And men's size 42 boots with good tread but not my size.

The Judeo-Christian world wants the peace prize for ending the human Abattoir ...

 ... their slaughter of Muslims (and other faiths) in the unHoly Land.

It is the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the Human Abattoir that is Gaza.  Trump was nominated to get it for bombing Iran's nuclear facilities to smithereens and for killing the nuclear engineers and their families.

In Gaza, 67,000 slaughtered, at 90 a day, in return for 1200 dead on one day - 7.10.23.  Hebrew Scriptures ethics at play, here, methinks.

Wide-open borders by Netanyahu allowed that attack.  Women hostages, returning home, said they had alerted the Israeli authorities of unusual border activity before the attack.  But complacency reigned supreme.  Nothing was done.

Lax security by Israel led, from Palestinian babies to the dying elderly being murdered - all who wanted to live in peaceful co-existence with their OTT neighbour and not to die.

Most Hamas murderers were killed on 7.10.23.  Unknown number killed in 2 years but it must be a small minority of the 67,000 murdered by UK military products but, mainly, by weapons from America and Germany.

Next, the Nobel Peace Prize comes our way!