Browse content similar to 19/07/2011. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Good evening. Welcome to Tuesday's Midlands Today from the BBC. | :00:04. | :00:08. | |
Tonight: Economically flawed and not commercially viable - that's | :00:08. | :00:11. | |
the verdict of an influential think tank on the proposals for High | :00:11. | :00:21. | |
:00:21. | :00:24. | ||
Speed 2. Doing nothing simply is not an option. The line which would | :00:24. | :00:27. | |
link Birmingham and London would cost around �17 billion and cut | :00:27. | :00:30. | |
travel time down to 49 minutes. the latest research by the | :00:30. | :00:32. | |
Institute of Economic Affairs claims HS2 will cost the taxpayer | :00:32. | :00:42. | |
:00:42. | :01:07. | ||
Good evening. Economically flawed and not viable - the conclusions of | :01:07. | :01:17. | |
:01:17. | :01:21. | ||
the think tank over the high-speed link between Birmingham and London. | :01:21. | :01:23. | |
The Institute is an independent think tank which undertakes | :01:23. | :01:26. | |
research and comments on economic affairs. But those in favour of the | :01:26. | :01:34. | |
high speed railway line have disputed the figures quoted. | :01:34. | :01:39. | |
On the animators drawing board HS2 is flying along at top speed. In | :01:39. | :01:42. | |
the real world, it's hit the buffers, again. In an | :01:42. | :01:44. | |
uncompromising report the think tank, the Institute of Economic | :01:44. | :01:49. | |
Affairs, or IEA, says the high speed rail project is: | :01:49. | :01:51. | |
Economically flawed, with exaggerated time savings and | :01:51. | :01:56. | |
fraudulent green credentials. The project it says makes false | :01:57. | :02:02. | |
regeneration claims about closing the north-south divide. And, above | :02:02. | :02:12. | |
all, it's a political vanity project. It's not like defence or | :02:12. | :02:15. | |
help whether benefits are spread across the nation. It will be a | :02:15. | :02:18. | |
small number of rich people who will use it and everyone else has | :02:18. | :02:25. | |
to pay for it whether they've used it on not. Needless to say the | :02:25. | :02:28. | |
report found a captive audience at the Stop HS2 Headquarters in | :02:28. | :02:30. | |
Kenilworth. But judging by the first three people we met, views | :02:30. | :02:39. | |
remain mixed. Everything I have read about it, it does not make | :02:39. | :02:44. | |
sense. It is not economically feasible. Nobody in the area is | :02:44. | :02:48. | |
going to help. I do not disagree with having a high-speed railway, | :02:48. | :02:54. | |
but they don't seem to know what they are doing and I don't think it | :02:54. | :03:00. | |
is going to benefit this area at all. I am for it. I think we need | :03:01. | :03:05. | |
more high-speed rail links in general. If proof were needed of | :03:05. | :03:07. | |
just how emotive this issue is, within minutes of the IEA's | :03:08. | :03:10. | |
reporting reaching us, my email inbox pinged to the sound of a | :03:11. | :03:13. | |
rebuttal. It was the Yes To High Speed Rail campaign, saying the | :03:14. | :03:17. | |
report was full of myths and weak research. And the report failed to | :03:17. | :03:19. | |
convince other HS2 supporters, like Richard Butler from the CBI, who | :03:20. | :03:22. | |
met me at Birmingham's Millennium Point, close to where the HS2 | :03:22. | :03:30. | |
terminus would be built. I think the report uses very emotive | :03:30. | :03:37. | |
language. The CBI are supporters of High Speed 2. It will bring | :03:37. | :03:41. | |
benefits to the region. The report is missing the point in that we | :03:41. | :03:47. | |
need to do something. Doing nothing is not an option. Up grading the | :03:47. | :03:53. | |
current system is almost as expensive as High Speed 2. | :03:53. | :03:56. | |
public consultation on HS2 ends in just ten days, with a Government | :03:56. | :04:00. | |
decision expected at the end of the year. If it gets the go ahead, | :04:00. | :04:02. | |
construction could start in 2017. But the arguments around it are | :04:02. | :04:12. | |
:04:12. | :04:19. | ||
likely to run on for much longer. With us is a work political editor. | :04:19. | :04:29. | |
:04:29. | :04:31. | ||
It is not helped by the computer graphics. Where is the objective | :04:31. | :04:36. | |
truth? Everyone in the campaign seems to have an axe to grind. This | :04:36. | :04:41. | |
evening, a work Collings on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire have | :04:41. | :04:45. | |
established that one of the Co authors of that report just happens | :04:45. | :04:54. | |
to live at Burton Green, which is on the route. The Transport | :04:54. | :04:58. | |
Secretary has pointed out that so many of the arguments against high- | :04:58. | :05:08. | |
:05:08. | :05:09. | ||
speed rail just happen to come from people who live on the line? How do | :05:09. | :05:15. | |
you assess the balance of the argument? There is an interesting | :05:15. | :05:23. | |
spread of argument. If you go to the comment section of my block -- | :05:23. | :05:33. | |
:05:33. | :05:57. | ||
blog. Other towns have benefited from a high-speed links. We are so | :05:57. | :06:03. | |
short of money and will a shiny new vanity project comes along and | :06:03. | :06:08. | |
there are funds available. We will have the report on the consultation | :06:08. | :06:13. | |
at the end of the year. Next year the Government really has to make | :06:13. | :06:21. | |
decisions, whether to scrap it, modify it ought to press ahead with | :06:21. | :06:27. | |
minor modifications, like landscaping and tunnelling. Where's | :06:27. | :06:33. | |
your money? I think there will be a high-speed rail system, but it | :06:33. | :06:42. | |
depends on the modifications. you. Later in the programme - find | :06:42. | :06:46. | |
out how one of our oldest manufacturers is planning on making | :06:46. | :06:54. | |
more out of the lucrative export market. And joining on the day that | :06:54. | :07:02. | |
Aston Villa Brickfields and new signing and a new shirt. -- reveals | :07:02. | :07:07. | |
a new signing and a new shirt. Taxpayers are having to cough up | :07:07. | :07:10. | |
for a religious statue after public donations dried up. The statue of | :07:10. | :07:13. | |
the Blessed John Henry Newman was due to be erected in a park where | :07:14. | :07:16. | |
Pope Benedict XVI held a mass last summer. Although it's expected to | :07:17. | :07:19. | |
be a destination for pilgrims the statue's yet to go on display | :07:20. | :07:26. | |
because of the concerns over its funding. 6 ft tall and resplendent | :07:26. | :07:32. | |
in gold - the statue of John Henry Newman seated with a scholarly gaze. | :07:32. | :07:38. | |
It was blessed by the Pope soon after he arrived for the | :07:38. | :07:43. | |
beatification mass last September. Organisers had said that pilgrims | :07:43. | :07:50. | |
could come here to view the staff are. A 10 months on and it is | :07:50. | :08:00. | |
:08:00. | :08:18. | ||
nowhere to be seen for such a a There was an awkward stage where | :08:18. | :08:22. | |
the piece have been finished and there was not the money to pay | :08:22. | :08:25. | |
Furyk. A huge amount of money had to be raised for the papal visit. | :08:25. | :08:34. | |
When it came to paying for this, pockets were not deep enough. | :08:34. | :08:37. | |
work was commissioned by Birmingham City Council and they have decided | :08:37. | :08:40. | |
to make up the difference. The pub we did not raise the money | :08:40. | :08:50. | |
initially, but yet the council is putting in public money. We had to | :08:50. | :08:58. | |
honour a commitment. There are huge economic benefits ants it improves | :08:58. | :09:03. | |
the profile of the city. So what about the statue? It will not go | :09:03. | :09:08. | |
ahead because of concerns over vandalism and theft. It can come | :09:08. | :09:13. | |
here to the Birmingham Oratory. Ironically this is what the | :09:13. | :09:17. | |
artist's great uncle JRR Tolkien was raised by a Catholic priest and | :09:17. | :09:22. | |
were later this year Newman's statue could go on permanent | :09:22. | :09:32. | |
:09:32. | :09:37. | ||
display. Sandwell Council has been told it | :09:37. | :09:40. | |
won't receive any money from the government to replace the Building | :09:40. | :09:42. | |
Schools for the Future programme which was scrapped last year. The | :09:42. | :09:45. | |
project would have seen nine schools in the borough rebuilt or | :09:45. | :09:47. | |
refurbished. Instead, local authorities will be invited to | :09:47. | :09:49. | |
apply for funding from a new rebuilding programme. The | :09:49. | :09:52. | |
government says the fairer system will identify schools around the | :09:52. | :09:55. | |
country in most in need of repair. Sandwell Council has called an | :09:55. | :09:57. | |
emergency meeting to consider its next option. | :09:57. | :09:59. | |
The MoD has announced that the Defence College of Aeronautical | :09:59. | :10:02. | |
Engineering at RAF Cosford in Shropshire is to be moved to | :10:02. | :10:04. | |
Wiltshire. It follows plans announced yesterday to move Defence | :10:04. | :10:07. | |
Technical Training to RAF Lyneham. It's thought the transfer will | :10:07. | :10:13. | |
happen in around four years time. Drivers in Gloucestershire are | :10:13. | :10:16. | |
being asked to sign up to a safer driving scheme aimed at reducing | :10:16. | :10:19. | |
speeding in rural villages. Motorists in Hardwick, near | :10:20. | :10:22. | |
Quedgely, are logging on to a website to pledge that they will | :10:23. | :10:27. | |
stick to the speed limit. It's hoped the softer approach to | :10:27. | :10:29. | |
motorists will encourage them to slow down. If successful the | :10:29. | :10:35. | |
project could be expanded elsewhere in the county. | :10:35. | :10:38. | |
Parents have staged a protest over a plan to end full-time care at a | :10:38. | :10:41. | |
city's council run nurseries. The SureStart centres in Coventry look | :10:41. | :10:45. | |
after young children so their parents can go out to work. Many | :10:45. | :10:50. | |
are in deprived areas. But the council says it has to make savings | :10:50. | :11:00. | |
:11:00. | :11:01. | ||
from its child care budget. They have only known for a week | :11:01. | :11:08. | |
that their children's nursery care is under threat, but these parents | :11:08. | :11:11. | |
are already letting councillors know how angry they are. Some | :11:11. | :11:16. | |
parents will give up work. I have had parents all over the city say | :11:16. | :11:24. | |
to me, I'll go on to benefits. Earlier, Samantha Lyle was amongst | :11:24. | :11:34. | |
parents who dropped off children at the SureStart in Tile Hill. Taylor | :11:34. | :11:41. | |
has build incredible bonds with everyone here. To tear him away | :11:41. | :11:45. | |
from it will be catastrophic. have been using the service for | :11:45. | :11:55. | |
:11:55. | :11:56. | ||
nine years. I have got three children. I love nursery. | :11:56. | :12:02. | |
campaigners had been told alternative nursery care is | :12:02. | :12:07. | |
available in Coventry, but it will cost up to �20 a day extra and | :12:07. | :12:13. | |
parents can't afford it. Some say they will have to give up work if | :12:13. | :12:18. | |
full-time nursery care is axed. The council insists cut in this service | :12:18. | :12:23. | |
is the least painful way to make savings on the children's care | :12:23. | :12:28. | |
budget. We need to target our resource better it so that the most | :12:28. | :12:31. | |
vulnerable children in our city can benefit from the help we can give | :12:31. | :12:36. | |
them. At the moment, we will not be able to do that so we have to look | :12:36. | :12:43. | |
carefully at all our budgets and targets resources more carefully. | :12:43. | :12:53. | |
:12:53. | :12:57. | ||
The final decision on the cuts will not be made until the autumn. Still | :12:57. | :13:03. | |
to come on the programme: has autumn come early? Find out what is | :13:03. | :13:07. | |
happening to our horse chestnut trees. | :13:07. | :13:12. | |
A car components factory is to close with the loss of 157 jobs. | :13:12. | :13:15. | |
Kongsberg Automotive makes parts for car seats and has been based in | :13:15. | :13:20. | |
Burton-on-Trent for more than 50 years. The Norwegian company is | :13:20. | :13:30. | |
:13:30. | :13:32. | ||
transferring production to Poland. It is devastating. This is a | :13:32. | :13:39. | |
specialist manufacturer and workers have a specialist skill. Some | :13:39. | :13:47. | |
people have been here for 30 years. It is a highly skilled UK | :13:47. | :13:53. | |
manufacturer, specific to Burton. They are a staple in many country | :13:53. | :13:57. | |
kitchens and many of those who have them say they would never swap them. | :13:57. | :14:00. | |
So how will Aga devotees react to news the traditional cooking range | :14:00. | :14:03. | |
manufacturer is bringing out a new type of cooker? Like many big name | :14:03. | :14:06. | |
brands, AGA has struggled during the recession and that's what | :14:06. | :14:09. | |
prompted them to add to their range. As our Business Correspondent Peter | :14:09. | :14:16. | |
Plisner reports, it could also mean more jobs at the firm. | :14:16. | :14:22. | |
The latest production line at Aga's Telford factory. Workers are | :14:22. | :14:27. | |
bringing about something of a revolution with the first | :14:27. | :14:34. | |
controllable cooker. Opened the door and we have a whole new game. | :14:34. | :14:39. | |
Traditionally, the choice was everything on all Aree think of, | :14:39. | :14:43. | |
but that is changing. Everyone looks at their bills over different | :14:43. | :14:47. | |
economic periods. In addition to that, people are looking at the | :14:47. | :14:53. | |
kind of energy they are using. For all the reasons, the right reasons, | :14:53. | :14:58. | |
this product scores highly. That should be the case for Aga as well | :14:58. | :15:05. | |
as it will boost sales. It has been a difficult time for the company, | :15:05. | :15:10. | |
but demand is picking up again and this new product will capitalise on | :15:10. | :15:18. | |
it. Aga has been around for 300 years and its cookers up the | :15:18. | :15:28. | |
:15:28. | :15:30. | ||
fixture of many country kitchens. Experts agree that innovation is | :15:30. | :15:36. | |
key. We need to ensure that all our manufacturers are adding as much | :15:36. | :15:40. | |
value as they can to their products and their brands. That is the thing | :15:40. | :15:45. | |
that will make the most competitive on an international stage. That is | :15:45. | :15:50. | |
where the company is heading. Only 20 % of current products are | :15:50. | :15:54. | |
exported. It is hoped the new Caulker will be a recipe for | :15:54. | :16:00. | |
success all over the world. - that the new cooker. | :16:00. | :16:03. | |
Birmingham City fans are meeting tonight as part of a campaign to | :16:03. | :16:06. | |
remove Carson Yeung from the club's board. Yeung was arrested in Hong | :16:06. | :16:09. | |
Kong last month to face five charges of money laundering | :16:09. | :16:11. | |
involving sums of �59 million. Yesterday his 18-year-old son Ryan | :16:11. | :16:14. | |
was appointed to the club's board. Fans are concerned about the Blues' | :16:14. | :16:24. | |
:16:24. | :16:27. | ||
finances and how Yeung's arrest could affect the club. There is a | :16:27. | :16:31. | |
double unveiling for Aston Villa. They are showing off their new | :16:31. | :16:39. | |
shirt and new signing. Our reporter is there now. | :16:39. | :16:46. | |
The fans have turned out in numbers, but there has been some concern | :16:46. | :16:56. | |
:16:56. | :16:57. | ||
over the play at traffic. -- player traffic. They have redressed the | :16:57. | :17:07. | |
:17:07. | :17:09. | ||
balance now or wit the signing of Shay Given. I am really excited. | :17:09. | :17:14. | |
The last few days I had been raring to go. I had my first training | :17:14. | :17:24. | |
:17:24. | :17:24. | ||
session today. It was pretty exciting. We have also spoken to | :17:24. | :17:31. | |
the Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish. We are still trying to | :17:31. | :17:41. | |
:17:41. | :17:43. | ||
bring in another player. I am not at liberty to mention names. We are | :17:43. | :17:47. | |
hoping to speak to one of the current players. They are getting | :17:47. | :17:57. | |
:17:57. | :18:01. | ||
ready in their new kit. Let us talk to a former player. Shay Given - is | :18:01. | :18:06. | |
he a bonus? Definitely. He is a great guy and a great addition to | :18:06. | :18:12. | |
the team. We asked Alex McLeish how much money will be spent on new | :18:12. | :18:22. | |
:18:22. | :18:26. | ||
signings. He has argued that some players are like new signings. | :18:26. | :18:32. | |
we need to get the best out of the players that we have got and maybe | :18:32. | :18:36. | |
give the youngsters a chance. a fresh start with Alex McLeish. | :18:36. | :18:41. | |
They did not want him, but the fans have turned out to see him. Aston | :18:41. | :18:45. | |
Villa fans are loyal and they have turned out today. Hopefully they | :18:45. | :18:50. | |
will be buying a few strips as well. It is good to see them. Everyone is | :18:50. | :18:54. | |
starting to get the bars for the new season. I am looking forward to | :18:54. | :19:04. | |
:19:04. | :19:08. | ||
it. Do you miss it a little bit now that you are not playing? Yes. | :19:08. | :19:18. | |
you think Aston Villa can turn the tide? Hopefully. We have been close. | :19:18. | :19:25. | |
There will be a few changes, eight new doctrine. Hopefully we can do | :19:25. | :19:30. | |
well in one of the competitions. The new kit will be unveiled in | :19:30. | :19:35. | |
about 15 minutes. It seems despite the controversy this summer, Villa | :19:35. | :19:45. | |
:19:45. | :19:46. | ||
fans are supporting their club. More than 80,000 cricket fans will | :19:46. | :19:49. | |
be heading to Birmingham next month for the third Test match between | :19:49. | :19:52. | |
England and India. For many, it will be their first glimpse of | :19:52. | :19:54. | |
Warwickshire's new-look, multi- million pound stadium. But this | :19:54. | :20:01. | |
afternoon Edgbaston opened its doors to Ian Winter. | :20:01. | :20:07. | |
It has a passing resemblance to a spaceship from Star Trek. Do not be | :20:07. | :20:17. | |
:20:17. | :20:20. | ||
fooled. This is at Edgbaston, Jim, but not as we know it. -- Edgbaston. | :20:20. | :20:23. | |
The home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club has had the mother of | :20:23. | :20:29. | |
all makeovers. Builders have been busy creating a world-class Test | :20:29. | :20:36. | |
match arena. Inside the home dressing room there is based for | :20:36. | :20:41. | |
the players to get changed in comfort. It is brilliant. It is a | :20:41. | :20:45. | |
world-class facility. All the lads are looking forward to playing here | :20:45. | :20:55. | |
:20:55. | :20:59. | ||
regularly. In the Jaguar at sweet, VIPs will be wined and dined. | :20:59. | :21:05. | |
needed world-class facilities. We had to make sure that we remain | :21:05. | :21:14. | |
ahead of the competition. The new stadium has cost �32 million and it | :21:14. | :21:19. | |
has raised the capacity of Edgbaston to 25,000 spectators. On | :21:19. | :21:23. | |
the skyline terrace there are spectacular views of Birmingham | :21:23. | :21:28. | |
city centre and the cricket. And in the press box are the best seats in | :21:28. | :21:38. | |
:21:38. | :21:39. | ||
the House. So far, they have sold more than 80,000 tickets for the | :21:39. | :21:43. | |
game and that his music to the ears of the driving force behind this | :21:43. | :21:49. | |
massive project. Without this investment, Edgbaston would not be | :21:49. | :21:55. | |
staging international cricket, which would be bad for the club. | :21:55. | :22:00. | |
Monday Prince Philip will officially open the new stadium. In | :22:00. | :22:05. | |
September they will find that if they will host a Test against | :22:05. | :22:15. | |
Australia in two years time. It is absolutely breathtaking. | :22:15. | :22:19. | |
Now, have you taken a close look at your local conker trees? It may | :22:19. | :22:22. | |
only be July, but many of of our horse chestnuts look as if they are | :22:22. | :22:28. | |
ready for autumn and are vovered in brown, withered leaves. The cause | :22:28. | :22:31. | |
is a tiny moth and now researchers want to track just how far this | :22:31. | :22:37. | |
destructive creature has spread by using mobile phones. And our | :22:37. | :22:39. | |
Science Correspondent David Gregory is with some affected conkers trees | :22:39. | :22:44. | |
in Birmingham now. David, this is all the fault of the leaf-miner | :22:44. | :22:51. | |
moth, yes? Yes. And if you walk through a line | :22:51. | :23:01. | |
of conker trees you notice these tiny moths. As small as a staple. | :23:01. | :23:11. | |
:23:11. | :23:13. | ||
Flying about. Now they spend winter in the leaf litter under the trees, | :23:13. | :23:17. | |
and now they are rising up.. And laying eggs on the chestnut leaves. | :23:17. | :23:19. | |
And it's the eggs that do the damage, they hatch into | :23:19. | :23:22. | |
caterpillars that mine inside the leaf leaving ugly brown marks. Like | :23:22. | :23:28. | |
autumn has come early. They call so much damage because they have three | :23:28. | :23:32. | |
generations a year. Bees the trees will get progressively Brownite and | :23:32. | :23:40. | |
it looks as if Alton has come early. In Cheltenham, this is the damage | :23:40. | :23:50. | |
:23:50. | :23:56. | ||
done by one generation. With this new app, you can take a photograph | :23:56. | :24:06. | |
:24:06. | :24:08. | ||
and rate the damage. You can add your location, which the firm does | :24:08. | :24:13. | |
automatically. Finally, there is a question about grounds cover | :24:13. | :24:17. | |
because the scientists are interested in what is going on | :24:17. | :24:21. | |
underneath the tree. Then you send it in. You will not just be helping | :24:21. | :24:27. | |
conker trees. It will preparer so we can understand more about other | :24:27. | :24:32. | |
invading of colonising in sex and blood diseases in the future. So | :24:32. | :24:37. | |
all the information we get now will be invaluable. But this is still | :24:37. | :24:43. | |
the little moth that remains a big problem for a World conker trees. | :24:43. | :24:51. | |
If you don't have a smart phone, you can use a special website to | :24:51. | :25:01. | |
:25:01. | :25:02. | ||
track the conker trees in your area. For more information, please look | :25:02. | :25:12. | |
:25:12. | :25:18. | ||
at the website. Bonkers about conkers! And now for | :25:18. | :25:26. | |
the weather. Kenny believe we are in the middle | :25:26. | :25:33. | |
of July. It has not felt like it today. We have seen some showers. | :25:33. | :25:43. | |
:25:43. | :25:44. | ||
As we go into tonight, we expect to see Clairette skies. -- clearer | :25:44. | :25:52. | |
skies. There will be some mist and fog patches. Showers are heavier in | :25:52. | :26:02. | |
:26:02. | :26:12. | ||
the east. We are looking at lows of around 11 Celsius. Tomorrow morning, | :26:12. | :26:18. | |
more cloud moving in. There will be more showers as well. There is some | :26:19. | :26:23. | |
brightness, but it will be limited, as it has been for the past few | :26:23. | :26:33. | |
:26:33. | :26:41. | ||
days. Highs before 19 Celsius. Tomorrow night, a similar picture. | :26:41. | :26:51. | |
:26:51. | :26:56. | ||
Friday, you can see that low pressure will be around. Dry and | :26:56. | :27:06. | |
:27:06. | :27:16. | ||
Tonight's main headlines: a Commons hearing on the phone hacking | :27:16. | :27:20. | |
scandal was suspended after a protester tried to attack Rupert | :27:21. | :27:25. | |
Murdoch. And here, a new report says high-speed rail is | :27:26. | :27:29. | |
economically flawed and not commercially viable. That is all | :27:30. | :27:34. |