Transport woes

No one can claim the previous Tory government did anything but destroy the railways when they rushed to privatise British Rail. I myself used BR twice a week from Manchester to Lancaster for 14 months and the latest a train was ever late, was 11 minutes! Now, well what a different picture - even with twice the public subsidy.

I also do not think the recent announcement by the government to add another toll motorway from Birmingham to Manchester is the right answer to our transport problems. We need major investment in integrated transport, not just in London but across England. I as a motorist, am fed up of being targeted for creating all our ills, when we need more vision and commitment to put in place an alternative to the car without pricing people off the road and laying tarmac all over the "green and pleasant land". I will not and cannot support this local initiative, as I saw the first hand destruction of Twyford Down in Hampshire and more recently the BNRR (Birmingham Northern Relief Road - M6 Toll) devastation of beautiful countryside from Coleshill through to Staffordshire.

Air travel too adds value, but what about the proposal to add a second runway to Birmingham International Airport? Well this is great for passengers, but what about local residents. There will come a time when we will have to put the needs of local people before those of the global economy. Is this one of those times? I'm not sure...nor would I claim to be the all seeing and knowing oracle on the issue, but what I do know is that whatever local residents say should be the main starting and finishing point. The in-between is not so clear.