Now this is interesting stuff. Don’t read the LEP strategy or even any current Birmingham City Council strategies if you want to know what this might look like. Just listen to Julia King in the video opposite to see what we need to do and then come along to see Professor Miles Tight.
His lecture deals with how we will have to change the way we travel in the future. This is radical stuff; of much more value to debate than the heat generated by the wheelie bin argument in Birmingham currently. Previously at the University Leeds where he undertook forward looking research he showed a recent Lunar Society talk various scenarios; all of which involve us being more communal in transport terms and with less use of our cars.
As Miles says ‘many now recognise a need for large changes in the way we use and consume transport.’ Unfortunately this is not yet the case in the city and so I would encourage anyone who is at all interested in the transport agenda in cities to attend Miles’ inaugural lecture on Thursday May 16th at the University of Birmingham. Further details and registration links (here).
This is why the relative paucity of investment in intra urban public transport in this city is of real concern. When the future comes will we be ready?
Link to his Leeds University research (here) and the Visualisations (here)
UrbanPivot 
This is a huge dilemma for Birmingham and the West Midlands, but our leaders seem incapable of developing effective solutions. Even the video focuses on the imperative i.e. “why we need to change”; yet avoids the thorny subject of “how do we do this?”. Local government needs to move from talking about problems to doing something about problems. Other nations do this very effectively, most notably northern European countries are being innovative in delivering new urban transport solutions.
I look forward to the lecture on 16 May, but maybe your readers would like to read this new Design Council report before the event: “Design For Public Good” describes lessons learned from other countries about HOW the public sector can move from talking to doing:
http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/Insight/Policy/Design-for-public-good/Report-Design-for-public-good/
Happy reading…
James Rock
DesignThinkers Group
Wholeheartedly agree…we need a new consensus around the need for change and the need for action. Will look at this publication. If you would like to do a guest blog post on DT and its potential for urban areas to meet there challenges ..please feel free.
The efficient Centro trains running through Birmingham city and Metro need integration with Bus service running in the city.
Train stations could become junctions for all the Bus services in that area and Tickets or bus/train passes be valid on both. This would lead to saving on the journey.
Less buses on the routes and less import of oil from Abroad. Less carbon. Train speed could be increased a little too.