would also approve the planned 500 million pounds reconstruction of
Birmingham's New Street station.

Local press reports suggest that, at a high level, questions are still
being asked of this project.

I know New Labour needs little excuse to not spend on transport but
Ruth Kelly is questioning value for money and quite rightly so on this
one.

500M and there's to be no real capacity improvement what's the point
of that just another building that will be (hopefully) nice to look
at, but that will offer zero real transport improvement - waste, waste
waste!

Another industry source said the 30-year rail plan would put emphasis
on developing the country's light rail network, including trams, which
are cheaper to run on low volume routes and easier to maintain.


When New Labour proposes a 30-year plan on transport it means only one
thing - please don't bother us on this for another thirty years.

Labour's priorities have, from day one, been to bleed us dry with
taxes for education and health or more to the cynical point those
Labour voters that work in education and health.

Fact, and I honestly say this from a neutral perspective; until the
Tories return to power there will be no investment on transport.
That's the way it's been for the last ten years and that's how it will
be for the next if Labour maintains office.