Birmingham's national and international role: UK's rail hub and an outstanding seat of learning
When I wrote my brief blogpost on Thursday, I had no idea of that the Adonis' Lunar Society Annual Lecture was the centre of a local political storm.
And it is a very local storm. It's of little or no interest to most Brummies, and zilch interest beyond. Moreover, it shouldn't divert us from the bigger picture. Birmingham has the opportunity of playing on a national and international stage.
The real importance of HS2 is not that London and Birmingham are half an hour or so closer, important though that is. Nor about Curzon Street and the development (or not) of Eastside. It's that Birmingham will thereby become the nation's rail hub.
This must not be a stretch-too-far for our traditionally auto-obsessed city, rather an acknowledgement of the really significant advantage we have simply because of our geography.
(Our geography was a disadvantage until the late 19th century, hence Brum is a comparatively new British city. With transport connectivity, however, a different aspect of our geography -- our location -- becomes the big advantage.)
Adonis mentioned our poor educational levels in the city. What has that, you may ask, to do with the New Optimists scientists I bang on about in this blog? I'll make three points:
- First, if you raise the education level, just in maths, of the lowest achieving in a population, it seems there a significant beneficial impact on GDP. Getting our kids more numerate matters.
- Secondly, if, in a city like ours there are few natural resources, along with a decaying industrial legacy, the one certain asset we have is our people. Ours is a young city with diverse cultures -- that says rich talent, for the most part rich, untapped talent which we can invest in.
- Thirdly, we already have a vibrant student population in the city, and some excellent research, some of which with global impact. But we don't have the reputation of Oxbridge or, say, Imperial and UCL. But, notably but not exclusively through Aston, Birmingham and Warwick, we have the potential to be a centre of international standing, to be at the forefront of intellectual debate in the 21st century.
Local squabbles? Yes, of course they happen. And, in truth, can send a frisson of delighted shock through the marrow. But they are inward-looking, a diversion of energy and effort . . . and mustn't divert us from bigger, important issues.
Will we speak with one voice on these complex issues? Of course not! There will be a healthy cacophony of debate, dissension, disagreement, diversity. Bring it on!
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Despite my support for the concept, I am not sure HS2 can be described as making Brum the centre of the railway network. The Birmingham city centre station will be on a short spur off the main line.
It is a shame that you regard the Lunar Society debate as peripheral and of no interest to those outside the city. The truth is that what Adonis said is not only true of Birmingham but of towns and cities up and down the country. Apart from in a few exceptionally well run places, we have lost in the UK a sense of civic pride and an understanding of what makes urban places successful and enjoyable. Discussions and debates about urbanism, architecture and city life are central to the political, economic and cultural debate in many countries across Europe - countries that have a notably more successful tradition of urban life. In Birmingham we have politicians who try and stamp out debate and no nothing about urban governance, leadership of vision. Yes, in parochial provincial Britain the lecture at the Lunar Society may have been regarded as a side show, but the issues that Adonis addressed go right to the heart of the debate about the very future of the UK. Without successful cities we really are finished.
I agree with you in that the Lunar Society Annual Lecture is far from parochial. What Adonis said is absolutely of national importance. I agree too that UK cities are vital to the nation's future â and that the Adonis lecture did indeed go right to the heart of the matter.
My point was, however, that the Tilsley-Society 'storm' is parochial and of little interest â other than, as you indicate, it appears that local politicians were trying to stifle debate, put down the alternative view/s.
As for Birmingham being a 'spur' of the main HS2 network: Once the New Street refurb (not an investment in rail infrastructure) got the go-ahead, there was no chance of HS2 coming into the city centre, even if there had been before. Wherever the choice of main station, there needs to be considerable investment in connectivity infrastructure, linking HS2 right into the city centre and to other locations within the West Midlands . . . and, far important nationally, continue the HS2 infrastructure into the UK's other cities.
I obviously misunderstood the thrust of your original post. Yes, the behaviour of Tilsley appears to be a pastiche of the narrow-minded parish councillor routine. It's frankly disturbing that this man is anywhere near the levers of power in Birmingham. I'd be more concerned if the actual leader of the council wasn't even worse.
Re HS2, my understanding was that the current proposals include a new station at Eastside, which is, in my opinion, very much the city centre. During the 60s and 70s, when the ring road was built, conceptions of what constitued the city core shrunk because it was literally constrained by an urban motorway. Now the ring road has been largely downgraded, we need to change our concept of what the city centre is. I see it as extending at least as far out as the middle ring - this is also BCC policy, although I recognise old perceptions can be hard to change.
i m also completely agree with you,Because Technology is an important part of our life and writing articles about technology is even harder. As a matter of fact there are many online services where you can get a blog and start posting your articles there and the best part is that you can make money also.
Nice blog but don't forget our other universities Kate! Coventry for example makes an excellent contribution especially on applied research and has brilliant links with local businesses and policy makers. It also does a great deal to foster an entrepreneurial attitude amongst its students.