SIT IN A TRAIN, NOT IN A TRAFFIC JAM.

Two opportunities, for thousands of people to save time and reduce their carbon footprint, have coincided in Birmingham.

The first is that the public are being consulted about their priorities for funding improvements to the passenger rail service in Birmingham.

The second is that there is now a requirement for local transport plans to demonstrate that new schemes will play a part in achieving local authority targets in reducing C02 emissions by 2015.

This could bring forward the proposed new passenger rail service to Moseley, Balsall Heath, Kings Heath and Stirchley -
but this opportunity depends on Centro being told,
by me,
by you,
and all our friends and neighbours,
that this should be a high priority for their Rail Development Plan.

The danger is that, if we don't tell Centro that this is what we want, it may move down the priority list, and further into the future. Currently, a service is at least 9 years away.

The passenger service from Moseley, Balsall Heath, Kings Heath and Stirchley along the existing 'Camp Hill line' will be connected to Moor Street station using a new curve.

The Centro draft 'Rail Development Plan' is open to public consultation until 11th September 2009.

More details of how to ask for the project to be brought forward as soon as possible are on Friends of the Earth's website. Join the campaign to Re-Open Our Stations - Soon!

Please check this out today and pass this message on to as many people as you can.