There are four major and linked aspects of the combined strategy for the West Midlands which are seriously flawed:

1. transport

2. economic growth (AWM)

3. the lack of a clearly defined economic alternative such as a 'local economy'

4. global warming

TRANSPORT

Proposals for major road building are. unnecessary and will not benefit the West Midlands.

The region will suffer the adverse effects of major road schemes at an early stage, with no later economic benefit.

Road schemes will not lead to economic growth

AWM strategy of economic growth through inward investment will not succeed.

Competition from post-Communist eastern Europe and from Asia will be unbeatable.

People in these countries have high levels of education and skills, together with low wages, and the ability to speak English. For the little investment which will be available, there will be competition from all the English regions and any national government decision will be taken largely on political grounds.

Road schemes will not create extra jobs

1. AWM strategy to encourage new technology industries will create few jobs because these industries are capital intensive and science based. Hence they will generate little traffic and will be developed in corridors where traffic congestion is not a major problem.

2. there will be a continuing major loss of existing jobs. This will result from competition from eastern Europe and Asia, deregulation and privatisation (next in line are health and postal services), takeovers and joint enterprises, and the use of computerisation and automation (especially in banking, insurance, computer software, telecommunications, retailing, airlines and the civil service).

3. labour is becoming increasingly superfluous. There is a movement towards a 20:80 society. Leaders of industry and business believe that in affluent Western countries 20% of the population will be enough to maintain the world economy, This 20% will enjoy a full life. The remainder will be largely unemployed and any work will be low paid and menial. Unskilled jobs will be scarce.

4. there is likely to be a prolonged worldwide economic recession which will reduce the size of the economy and numbers of jobs.

Local Economy

Within this context of the decline of production and jobs, the region will be forced to develop new ideas based on creating a "local economy". This would be based on agriculture, urban regeneration and socially useful production. It reduces the need for movement.

This should coincide with the major development of telecommunications, which makes the movement of people unnecessary.

National Network

The road proposals will create a virtual "motorway box" around the conurbation, which will link to a widened M6. This will allow traffic from London to bypass the West Midlands conurbation, enroute to the north-west. It should be made clear how much of the proposed new road transport system is intended to serve national traffic and how much will serve to distribute goods from the industrial core area of the EU.

Warehousing

Policy to encourage warehousing should be omitted. It will lead to increased distribution by road from the West Midlands to destinations in England and would serve a national function.

THE STRATEGY WILL GREATLY INCREASE GLOBAL WARMING

The policy of economic expansion directly conflicts with the need to reduce global warming. C02 emissions will be greatly increased by:

1. road building and increased traffic, and the expansion of Birmingham and Coventry airports. Road and air traffic are major producers of C02.

2. emphasis on industrial competitiveness makes it impossible for producers to reduce C02 emissions because this increases costs and decreases competitiveness.

3. a policy of inward investment for industrial development will make C02 emissions impossible to control, because this would deter investment.

4. global warming requires a massive and immediate reduction in energy use - a reduction of at least 60%.