Monthly Archives: June 2005

A Transport Summit in Birmingham 2004. Progress or regression?

As Cabinet Member for Transportation on Birmingham City Council it seemed to me necessary to press ahead with what was on the table rather than stop to consider other ideas. There were a range of measures in process dealing with congestion, pollution, cutting accidents and so on which needed to be moved on. Stopping and starting didn’t seem an option – as it has to the present mixed-up leadership. A delay in the Metro extension Alastair Darling has warned, could prove a very grave mistake and extremely costly.
A feature of the year 2003-4 was a Transport Summit chaired by Fiona Alexander, Editor of the Birmingham Post. The Post’s “Get Moving” campaign helped put transport well on the agenda. Remember Tony Blair thought it was not an issue and put Prescott in charge.

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