Comments on: Let’s take the ideas in the Big City Plan and run with them http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/lets-take-the-ideas-in-the-big-city-plan-and-run-with-them/ Create something every day Fri, 16 May 2008 23:26:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Wechtie Paul http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/lets-take-the-ideas-in-the-big-city-plan-and-run-with-them/#comment-12425 Wechtie Paul Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:01:07 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=402#comment-12425 Just a quick one in agreement of the comment above and to impart this bit of info... There is an existing and viable plan for a new station in Eastside which, to my mind anyway, makes a lot more sense than tarting up New Street a bit... Check out the link for more info... http://www.arup.com/europe/feature.cfm?pageid=9619 Just a quick one in agreement of the comment above and to impart this bit of info… There is an existing and viable plan for a new station in Eastside which, to my mind anyway, makes a lot more sense than tarting up New Street a bit… Check out the link for more info… http://www.arup.com/europe/feature.cfm?pageid=9619

]]> By: Simon Howes http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/lets-take-the-ideas-in-the-big-city-plan-and-run-with-them/#comment-12135 Simon Howes Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:56:46 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=402#comment-12135 Fantastic idea. Hopefully it will get the people of Birmingham more actively involved in the whole thinking of the plan. I hate the fact the council will only have three, six week consultation periods with the public, when these start nobody knows, perhaps they have already passed, rubbish! The web site you plan should extend this thinking time so we are prepared to bombard the council with ideas. To me it still feels like it has all happened behind closed doors and are saying "here it is, our plan, live with it". Only for the next term of office to come and scrap it all. Get people like myself involved, it will then be set in concrete. From when we last met you know what I want first: Rethink of transport ideas. A fourth large rail station to ease congestion a New Street. The new New Street station only addresses the problem of passenger numbers, not train numbers. Say no to TIF, it's a way London is bribing cities into what they want and not what the people want. Extend the light rail network, areas such as Dudley have no decent public transport to connect the the power house that is Birmingham. They are all costly, however they are required. For a city over one million in population it is shocking as a European city not to have an underground system, let alone one congested tram line. Reform of the powers in office - an elected mayor. We need a leader (Lord Digby would be my vote, as I live in Dudley I can't vote *sigh*), and for powers to be taken away from London regarding decisions on major projects. I prefer a regional elected mayor that covers Brum, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolves and to be made into a "Greater Birmingham" region. Is that possible, can we do it all on our own? I think so, if the council had a little courage and push hard. I wait for your web site, I have an army of people who have ideas. Fantastic idea. Hopefully it will get the people of Birmingham more actively involved in the whole thinking of the plan. I hate the fact the council will only have three, six week consultation periods with the public, when these start nobody knows, perhaps they have already passed, rubbish! The web site you plan should extend this thinking time so we are prepared to bombard the council with ideas.

To me it still feels like it has all happened behind closed doors and are saying “here it is, our plan, live with it”. Only for the next term of office to come and scrap it all. Get people like myself involved, it will then be set in concrete.

From when we last met you know what I want first:

Rethink of transport ideas. A fourth large rail station to ease congestion a New Street. The new New Street station only addresses the problem of passenger numbers, not train numbers. Say no to TIF, it’s a way London is bribing cities into what they want and not what the people want. Extend the light rail network, areas such as Dudley have no decent public transport to connect the the power house that is Birmingham. They are all costly, however they are required. For a city over one million in population it is shocking as a European city not to have an underground system, let alone one congested tram line.

Reform of the powers in office - an elected mayor. We need a leader (Lord Digby would be my vote, as I live in Dudley I can’t vote *sigh*), and for powers to be taken away from London regarding decisions on major projects. I prefer a regional elected mayor that covers Brum, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolves and to be made into a “Greater Birmingham” region.

Is that possible, can we do it all on our own? I think so, if the council had a little courage and push hard.

I wait for your web site, I have an army of people who have ideas.

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