We need a coherent plan for transport
THE article in Tuesday’s M.E.N. ‘Manchester’s trains delayed for 14
years’ was very gripping reading. One of the reasons why our transport infrastructure upgrades are so costly and take longer than they should, is because they are all done on a piecemeal basis. There is no rolling programme of upgrade work to keep the planners and engineers in work and costs down.
I get the impression a project is announced, the planners quickly shape it up without studying the terrain properly first, then the engineers carry out the work on an ad hoc basis not knowing if they are likely to find any problems which may delay it, and when problems do arise, like the hidden mine workings on the Bolton to Preston line, costs increase out of control. That seems to be what has happened with our railway upgrade work over the past two or three years.
Ever since the 1960s, both rail and road upgrade projects have been done on a piecemeal basis, and this attitude to improving our transport infrastructure has been the order of the day, unless of course, you are inside the M25 motorway!
London seems to get any upgrade work done the moment they ask for it. By the end of next year, Londoners will enjoy the benefits of the new £15bn Crossrail line, plus the new trains, costing multimillions of pounds, on other lines feeding London’s other stations as well. Plans are also well in hand for another cross London railway line, Crossrail 2, estimated to cost almost double at £30bn. What chance do we have to get £1bn to upgrade our network?
We need a rolling programme of electrification work in the North with all three trans-Pennine routes wired and the line from Manchester to Liverpool via Warrington Central, to name a few, and done sooner rather than later. Bi-mode trains are heavy and it is not economical running diesel trains more miles under wires than on non-electrified lines. Educating our MPs to think electric for railway upgrade work is the hard bit, but we must persuade them to do it and find the money to carry out the work to reduce the emissions impact. Chris Pearson, Edgeley, Stockport
What about free speech?
I BELIEVE that we live in a society of free speech so I find it surprising that some are calling for Henry Bolton to resign over comments made not by him but someone else.
Are we or are we not free to express our opinions as long as they are not offensive. He did not make the comments so why should he be held responsible. Phil Meakin, Salford
Kids can help force change
THE letter from Bill Price is so correct in pointing out how other countries are proportionately receiving far more people seeking sanctuary than the UK (‘Let’s do more for refugees,’ Viewpoints, January 22).
Anyone who says we can’t afford it should look in the eyes of a child who has had to leave their home, family and friends and then consider ‘there but for the grace of God go I.’ Indeed, many of us have done that to come to Manchester, albeit under less violent conditions than many in our midst.
I don’t deny there are problems finding school places, housing and other resources – but the solution is providing more rather than giving way to selfishness and xenophobia.
Fortunately the majority of our young people aren’t selfish. Perhaps it’s because in local schools they have met refugee children and appreciate them as honest, friendly and as normal as anyone else.
So I was cheered to read about pupils from Parrs Wood reaching out with ‘inspiring messages’ to people in their local community. But their peace conflict studies, like all learning, should lead to personal development, action and change.
Actions speak louder than words, even words of kindness. I hope the students will positively befriend and reach out to help the ‘strangers in our midst,’ both personally and structurally by taking action to call out the day-by-day racism we see in some media.
As Mr Price said, they can address the root causes, engaging with campaigns to bring about structural change where our institutions (e.g. arms manufacturers and dealers, firms advising on tax dodging, businesses using sweated labour abroad, and environmental vandals) contribute to oppression. E Denkmann, Manchester