:00:04. > :00:08.Good evening. Welcome to Tuesday's Midlands Today from the BBC.
:00:08. > :00:11.Tonight: Economically flawed and not commercially viable - that's
:00:11. > :00:21.the verdict of an influential think tank on the proposals for High
:00:21. > :00:24.
:00:24. > :00:27.Speed 2. Doing nothing simply is not an option. The line which would
:00:27. > :00:30.link Birmingham and London would cost around �17 billion and cut
:00:30. > :00:32.travel time down to 49 minutes. the latest research by the
:00:32. > :00:42.Institute of Economic Affairs claims HS2 will cost the taxpayer
:00:42. > :01:07.
:01:07. > :01:17.Good evening. Economically flawed and not viable - the conclusions of
:01:17. > :01:21.
:01:21. > :01:23.the think tank over the high-speed link between Birmingham and London.
:01:23. > :01:26.The Institute is an independent think tank which undertakes
:01:26. > :01:34.research and comments on economic affairs. But those in favour of the
:01:34. > :01:39.high speed railway line have disputed the figures quoted.
:01:39. > :01:42.On the animators drawing board HS2 is flying along at top speed. In
:01:42. > :01:44.the real world, it's hit the buffers, again. In an
:01:44. > :01:49.uncompromising report the think tank, the Institute of Economic
:01:49. > :01:51.Affairs, or IEA, says the high speed rail project is:
:01:51. > :01:56.Economically flawed, with exaggerated time savings and
:01:57. > :02:02.fraudulent green credentials. The project it says makes false
:02:02. > :02:12.regeneration claims about closing the north-south divide. And, above
:02:12. > :02:15.all, it's a political vanity project. It's not like defence or
:02:15. > :02:18.help whether benefits are spread across the nation. It will be a
:02:18. > :02:25.small number of rich people who will use it and everyone else has
:02:25. > :02:28.to pay for it whether they've used it on not. Needless to say the
:02:28. > :02:30.report found a captive audience at the Stop HS2 Headquarters in
:02:30. > :02:39.Kenilworth. But judging by the first three people we met, views
:02:39. > :02:44.remain mixed. Everything I have read about it, it does not make
:02:44. > :02:48.sense. It is not economically feasible. Nobody in the area is
:02:48. > :02:54.going to help. I do not disagree with having a high-speed railway,
:02:54. > :03:00.but they don't seem to know what they are doing and I don't think it
:03:01. > :03:05.is going to benefit this area at all. I am for it. I think we need
:03:05. > :03:07.more high-speed rail links in general. If proof were needed of
:03:08. > :03:10.just how emotive this issue is, within minutes of the IEA's
:03:11. > :03:13.reporting reaching us, my email inbox pinged to the sound of a
:03:14. > :03:17.rebuttal. It was the Yes To High Speed Rail campaign, saying the
:03:17. > :03:19.report was full of myths and weak research. And the report failed to
:03:20. > :03:22.convince other HS2 supporters, like Richard Butler from the CBI, who
:03:22. > :03:30.met me at Birmingham's Millennium Point, close to where the HS2
:03:30. > :03:37.terminus would be built. I think the report uses very emotive
:03:37. > :03:41.language. The CBI are supporters of High Speed 2. It will bring
:03:41. > :03:47.benefits to the region. The report is missing the point in that we
:03:47. > :03:53.need to do something. Doing nothing is not an option. Up grading the
:03:53. > :03:56.current system is almost as expensive as High Speed 2.
:03:56. > :04:00.public consultation on HS2 ends in just ten days, with a Government
:04:00. > :04:02.decision expected at the end of the year. If it gets the go ahead,
:04:02. > :04:12.construction could start in 2017. But the arguments around it are
:04:12. > :04:19.
:04:19. > :04:29.likely to run on for much longer. With us is a work political editor.
:04:29. > :04:31.
:04:31. > :04:36.It is not helped by the computer graphics. Where is the objective
:04:36. > :04:41.truth? Everyone in the campaign seems to have an axe to grind. This
:04:41. > :04:45.evening, a work Collings on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire have
:04:45. > :04:54.established that one of the Co authors of that report just happens
:04:54. > :04:58.to live at Burton Green, which is on the route. The Transport
:04:58. > :05:08.Secretary has pointed out that so many of the arguments against high-
:05:08. > :05:09.
:05:09. > :05:15.speed rail just happen to come from people who live on the line? How do
:05:15. > :05:23.you assess the balance of the argument? There is an interesting
:05:23. > :05:33.spread of argument. If you go to the comment section of my block --
:05:33. > :05:57.
:05:57. > :06:03.blog. Other towns have benefited from a high-speed links. We are so
:06:03. > :06:08.short of money and will a shiny new vanity project comes along and
:06:08. > :06:13.there are funds available. We will have the report on the consultation
:06:13. > :06:21.at the end of the year. Next year the Government really has to make
:06:21. > :06:27.decisions, whether to scrap it, modify it ought to press ahead with
:06:27. > :06:33.minor modifications, like landscaping and tunnelling. Where's
:06:33. > :06:42.your money? I think there will be a high-speed rail system, but it
:06:42. > :06:46.depends on the modifications. you. Later in the programme - find
:06:46. > :06:54.out how one of our oldest manufacturers is planning on making
:06:54. > :07:02.more out of the lucrative export market. And joining on the day that
:07:02. > :07:07.Aston Villa Brickfields and new signing and a new shirt. -- reveals
:07:07. > :07:10.a new signing and a new shirt. Taxpayers are having to cough up
:07:10. > :07:13.for a religious statue after public donations dried up. The statue of
:07:14. > :07:16.the Blessed John Henry Newman was due to be erected in a park where
:07:17. > :07:19.Pope Benedict XVI held a mass last summer. Although it's expected to
:07:20. > :07:26.be a destination for pilgrims the statue's yet to go on display
:07:26. > :07:32.because of the concerns over its funding. 6 ft tall and resplendent
:07:32. > :07:38.in gold - the statue of John Henry Newman seated with a scholarly gaze.
:07:38. > :07:43.It was blessed by the Pope soon after he arrived for the
:07:43. > :07:50.beatification mass last September. Organisers had said that pilgrims
:07:50. > :08:00.could come here to view the staff are. A 10 months on and it is
:08:00. > :08:18.
:08:18. > :08:22.nowhere to be seen for such a a There was an awkward stage where
:08:22. > :08:25.the piece have been finished and there was not the money to pay
:08:25. > :08:34.Furyk. A huge amount of money had to be raised for the papal visit.
:08:34. > :08:37.When it came to paying for this, pockets were not deep enough.
:08:37. > :08:40.work was commissioned by Birmingham City Council and they have decided
:08:40. > :08:50.to make up the difference. The pub we did not raise the money
:08:50. > :08:58.initially, but yet the council is putting in public money. We had to
:08:58. > :09:03.honour a commitment. There are huge economic benefits ants it improves
:09:03. > :09:08.the profile of the city. So what about the statue? It will not go
:09:08. > :09:13.ahead because of concerns over vandalism and theft. It can come
:09:13. > :09:17.here to the Birmingham Oratory. Ironically this is what the
:09:17. > :09:22.artist's great uncle JRR Tolkien was raised by a Catholic priest and
:09:22. > :09:32.were later this year Newman's statue could go on permanent
:09:32. > :09:37.
:09:37. > :09:40.display. Sandwell Council has been told it
:09:40. > :09:42.won't receive any money from the government to replace the Building
:09:42. > :09:45.Schools for the Future programme which was scrapped last year. The
:09:45. > :09:47.project would have seen nine schools in the borough rebuilt or
:09:47. > :09:49.refurbished. Instead, local authorities will be invited to
:09:49. > :09:52.apply for funding from a new rebuilding programme. The
:09:52. > :09:55.government says the fairer system will identify schools around the
:09:55. > :09:57.country in most in need of repair. Sandwell Council has called an
:09:57. > :09:59.emergency meeting to consider its next option.
:09:59. > :10:02.The MoD has announced that the Defence College of Aeronautical
:10:02. > :10:04.Engineering at RAF Cosford in Shropshire is to be moved to
:10:04. > :10:07.Wiltshire. It follows plans announced yesterday to move Defence
:10:07. > :10:13.Technical Training to RAF Lyneham. It's thought the transfer will
:10:13. > :10:16.happen in around four years time. Drivers in Gloucestershire are
:10:16. > :10:19.being asked to sign up to a safer driving scheme aimed at reducing
:10:20. > :10:22.speeding in rural villages. Motorists in Hardwick, near
:10:23. > :10:27.Quedgely, are logging on to a website to pledge that they will
:10:27. > :10:29.stick to the speed limit. It's hoped the softer approach to
:10:29. > :10:35.motorists will encourage them to slow down. If successful the
:10:35. > :10:38.project could be expanded elsewhere in the county.
:10:38. > :10:41.Parents have staged a protest over a plan to end full-time care at a
:10:41. > :10:45.city's council run nurseries. The SureStart centres in Coventry look
:10:45. > :10:50.after young children so their parents can go out to work. Many
:10:50. > :11:00.are in deprived areas. But the council says it has to make savings
:11:00. > :11:01.
:11:01. > :11:08.from its child care budget. They have only known for a week
:11:08. > :11:11.that their children's nursery care is under threat, but these parents
:11:11. > :11:16.are already letting councillors know how angry they are. Some
:11:16. > :11:24.parents will give up work. I have had parents all over the city say
:11:24. > :11:34.to me, I'll go on to benefits. Earlier, Samantha Lyle was amongst
:11:34. > :11:41.parents who dropped off children at the SureStart in Tile Hill. Taylor
:11:41. > :11:45.has build incredible bonds with everyone here. To tear him away
:11:45. > :11:55.from it will be catastrophic. have been using the service for
:11:55. > :11:56.
:11:56. > :12:02.nine years. I have got three children. I love nursery.
:12:02. > :12:07.campaigners had been told alternative nursery care is
:12:07. > :12:13.available in Coventry, but it will cost up to �20 a day extra and
:12:13. > :12:18.parents can't afford it. Some say they will have to give up work if
:12:18. > :12:23.full-time nursery care is axed. The council insists cut in this service
:12:23. > :12:28.is the least painful way to make savings on the children's care
:12:28. > :12:31.budget. We need to target our resource better it so that the most
:12:31. > :12:36.vulnerable children in our city can benefit from the help we can give
:12:36. > :12:43.them. At the moment, we will not be able to do that so we have to look
:12:43. > :12:53.carefully at all our budgets and targets resources more carefully.
:12:53. > :12:57.
:12:57. > :13:03.The final decision on the cuts will not be made until the autumn. Still
:13:03. > :13:07.to come on the programme: has autumn come early? Find out what is
:13:07. > :13:12.happening to our horse chestnut trees.
:13:12. > :13:15.A car components factory is to close with the loss of 157 jobs.
:13:15. > :13:20.Kongsberg Automotive makes parts for car seats and has been based in
:13:20. > :13:30.Burton-on-Trent for more than 50 years. The Norwegian company is
:13:30. > :13:32.
:13:32. > :13:39.transferring production to Poland. It is devastating. This is a
:13:39. > :13:47.specialist manufacturer and workers have a specialist skill. Some
:13:47. > :13:53.people have been here for 30 years. It is a highly skilled UK
:13:53. > :13:57.manufacturer, specific to Burton. They are a staple in many country
:13:57. > :14:00.kitchens and many of those who have them say they would never swap them.
:14:00. > :14:03.So how will Aga devotees react to news the traditional cooking range
:14:03. > :14:06.manufacturer is bringing out a new type of cooker? Like many big name
:14:06. > :14:09.brands, AGA has struggled during the recession and that's what
:14:09. > :14:16.prompted them to add to their range. As our Business Correspondent Peter
:14:16. > :14:22.Plisner reports, it could also mean more jobs at the firm.
:14:22. > :14:27.The latest production line at Aga's Telford factory. Workers are
:14:27. > :14:34.bringing about something of a revolution with the first
:14:34. > :14:39.controllable cooker. Opened the door and we have a whole new game.
:14:39. > :14:43.Traditionally, the choice was everything on all Aree think of,
:14:43. > :14:47.but that is changing. Everyone looks at their bills over different
:14:47. > :14:53.economic periods. In addition to that, people are looking at the
:14:53. > :14:58.kind of energy they are using. For all the reasons, the right reasons,
:14:58. > :15:05.this product scores highly. That should be the case for Aga as well
:15:05. > :15:10.as it will boost sales. It has been a difficult time for the company,
:15:10. > :15:18.but demand is picking up again and this new product will capitalise on
:15:18. > :15:28.it. Aga has been around for 300 years and its cookers up the
:15:28. > :15:30.
:15:30. > :15:36.fixture of many country kitchens. Experts agree that innovation is
:15:36. > :15:40.key. We need to ensure that all our manufacturers are adding as much
:15:40. > :15:45.value as they can to their products and their brands. That is the thing
:15:45. > :15:50.that will make the most competitive on an international stage. That is
:15:50. > :15:54.where the company is heading. Only 20 % of current products are
:15:54. > :16:00.exported. It is hoped the new Caulker will be a recipe for
:16:00. > :16:03.success all over the world. - that the new cooker.
:16:03. > :16:06.Birmingham City fans are meeting tonight as part of a campaign to
:16:06. > :16:09.remove Carson Yeung from the club's board. Yeung was arrested in Hong
:16:09. > :16:11.Kong last month to face five charges of money laundering
:16:11. > :16:14.involving sums of �59 million. Yesterday his 18-year-old son Ryan
:16:14. > :16:24.was appointed to the club's board. Fans are concerned about the Blues'
:16:24. > :16:27.
:16:27. > :16:31.finances and how Yeung's arrest could affect the club. There is a
:16:31. > :16:39.double unveiling for Aston Villa. They are showing off their new
:16:39. > :16:46.shirt and new signing. Our reporter is there now.
:16:46. > :16:56.The fans have turned out in numbers, but there has been some concern
:16:56. > :16:57.
:16:57. > :17:07.over the play at traffic. -- player traffic. They have redressed the
:17:07. > :17:09.
:17:09. > :17:14.balance now or wit the signing of Shay Given. I am really excited.
:17:14. > :17:24.The last few days I had been raring to go. I had my first training
:17:24. > :17:24.
:17:24. > :17:31.session today. It was pretty exciting. We have also spoken to
:17:31. > :17:41.the Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish. We are still trying to
:17:41. > :17:43.
:17:43. > :17:47.bring in another player. I am not at liberty to mention names. We are
:17:47. > :17:57.hoping to speak to one of the current players. They are getting
:17:57. > :18:01.
:18:01. > :18:06.ready in their new kit. Let us talk to a former player. Shay Given - is
:18:06. > :18:12.he a bonus? Definitely. He is a great guy and a great addition to
:18:12. > :18:22.the team. We asked Alex McLeish how much money will be spent on new
:18:22. > :18:26.
:18:26. > :18:32.signings. He has argued that some players are like new signings.
:18:32. > :18:36.we need to get the best out of the players that we have got and maybe
:18:36. > :18:41.give the youngsters a chance. a fresh start with Alex McLeish.
:18:41. > :18:45.They did not want him, but the fans have turned out to see him. Aston
:18:45. > :18:50.Villa fans are loyal and they have turned out today. Hopefully they
:18:50. > :18:54.will be buying a few strips as well. It is good to see them. Everyone is
:18:54. > :19:04.starting to get the bars for the new season. I am looking forward to
:19:04. > :19:08.
:19:08. > :19:18.it. Do you miss it a little bit now that you are not playing? Yes.
:19:18. > :19:25.you think Aston Villa can turn the tide? Hopefully. We have been close.
:19:25. > :19:30.There will be a few changes, eight new doctrine. Hopefully we can do
:19:30. > :19:35.well in one of the competitions. The new kit will be unveiled in
:19:35. > :19:45.about 15 minutes. It seems despite the controversy this summer, Villa
:19:45. > :19:46.
:19:46. > :19:49.fans are supporting their club. More than 80,000 cricket fans will
:19:49. > :19:52.be heading to Birmingham next month for the third Test match between
:19:52. > :19:54.England and India. For many, it will be their first glimpse of
:19:54. > :20:01.Warwickshire's new-look, multi- million pound stadium. But this
:20:01. > :20:07.afternoon Edgbaston opened its doors to Ian Winter.
:20:07. > :20:17.It has a passing resemblance to a spaceship from Star Trek. Do not be
:20:17. > :20:20.
:20:20. > :20:23.fooled. This is at Edgbaston, Jim, but not as we know it. -- Edgbaston.
:20:23. > :20:29.The home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club has had the mother of
:20:29. > :20:36.all makeovers. Builders have been busy creating a world-class Test
:20:36. > :20:41.match arena. Inside the home dressing room there is based for
:20:41. > :20:45.the players to get changed in comfort. It is brilliant. It is a
:20:45. > :20:55.world-class facility. All the lads are looking forward to playing here
:20:55. > :20:59.
:20:59. > :21:05.regularly. In the Jaguar at sweet, VIPs will be wined and dined.
:21:05. > :21:14.needed world-class facilities. We had to make sure that we remain
:21:14. > :21:19.ahead of the competition. The new stadium has cost �32 million and it
:21:19. > :21:23.has raised the capacity of Edgbaston to 25,000 spectators. On
:21:23. > :21:28.the skyline terrace there are spectacular views of Birmingham
:21:28. > :21:38.city centre and the cricket. And in the press box are the best seats in
:21:38. > :21:39.
:21:39. > :21:43.the House. So far, they have sold more than 80,000 tickets for the
:21:43. > :21:49.game and that his music to the ears of the driving force behind this
:21:49. > :21:55.massive project. Without this investment, Edgbaston would not be
:21:55. > :22:00.staging international cricket, which would be bad for the club.
:22:00. > :22:05.Monday Prince Philip will officially open the new stadium. In
:22:05. > :22:15.September they will find that if they will host a Test against
:22:15. > :22:19.Australia in two years time. It is absolutely breathtaking.
:22:19. > :22:22.Now, have you taken a close look at your local conker trees? It may
:22:22. > :22:28.only be July, but many of of our horse chestnuts look as if they are
:22:28. > :22:31.ready for autumn and are vovered in brown, withered leaves. The cause
:22:31. > :22:37.is a tiny moth and now researchers want to track just how far this
:22:37. > :22:39.destructive creature has spread by using mobile phones. And our
:22:39. > :22:44.Science Correspondent David Gregory is with some affected conkers trees
:22:44. > :22:51.in Birmingham now. David, this is all the fault of the leaf-miner
:22:51. > :23:01.moth, yes? Yes. And if you walk through a line
:23:01. > :23:11.of conker trees you notice these tiny moths. As small as a staple.
:23:11. > :23:13.
:23:13. > :23:17.Flying about. Now they spend winter in the leaf litter under the trees,
:23:17. > :23:19.and now they are rising up.. And laying eggs on the chestnut leaves.
:23:19. > :23:22.And it's the eggs that do the damage, they hatch into
:23:22. > :23:28.caterpillars that mine inside the leaf leaving ugly brown marks. Like
:23:28. > :23:32.autumn has come early. They call so much damage because they have three
:23:32. > :23:40.generations a year. Bees the trees will get progressively Brownite and
:23:40. > :23:50.it looks as if Alton has come early. In Cheltenham, this is the damage
:23:50. > :23:56.
:23:56. > :24:06.done by one generation. With this new app, you can take a photograph
:24:06. > :24:08.
:24:08. > :24:13.and rate the damage. You can add your location, which the firm does
:24:13. > :24:17.automatically. Finally, there is a question about grounds cover
:24:17. > :24:21.because the scientists are interested in what is going on
:24:21. > :24:27.underneath the tree. Then you send it in. You will not just be helping
:24:27. > :24:32.conker trees. It will preparer so we can understand more about other
:24:32. > :24:37.invading of colonising in sex and blood diseases in the future. So
:24:37. > :24:43.all the information we get now will be invaluable. But this is still
:24:43. > :24:51.the little moth that remains a big problem for a World conker trees.
:24:51. > :25:01.If you don't have a smart phone, you can use a special website to
:25:01. > :25:02.
:25:02. > :25:12.track the conker trees in your area. For more information, please look
:25:12. > :25:18.
:25:18. > :25:26.at the website. Bonkers about conkers! And now for
:25:26. > :25:33.the weather. Kenny believe we are in the middle
:25:33. > :25:43.of July. It has not felt like it today. We have seen some showers.
:25:43. > :25:44.
:25:44. > :25:52.As we go into tonight, we expect to see Clairette skies. -- clearer
:25:52. > :26:02.skies. There will be some mist and fog patches. Showers are heavier in
:26:02. > :26:12.
:26:12. > :26:18.the east. We are looking at lows of around 11 Celsius. Tomorrow morning,
:26:19. > :26:23.more cloud moving in. There will be more showers as well. There is some
:26:23. > :26:33.brightness, but it will be limited, as it has been for the past few
:26:33. > :26:41.
:26:41. > :26:51.days. Highs before 19 Celsius. Tomorrow night, a similar picture.
:26:51. > :26:56.
:26:56. > :27:06.Friday, you can see that low pressure will be around. Dry and
:27:06. > :27:16.
:27:16. > :27:20.Tonight's main headlines: a Commons hearing on the phone hacking
:27:21. > :27:25.scandal was suspended after a protester tried to attack Rupert
:27:26. > :27:29.Murdoch. And here, a new report says high-speed rail is
:27:30. > :27:34.economically flawed and not commercially viable. That is all