One of the countrys biggest construction companies is to hold exploratory talks with Conservative leaders about the feasibility of building an underground railway system in Birmingham. The firm, whose identity is not being disclosed while sensitive discussions take place, has delivered many of Europes largest transportation schemes.
 A board member will meet Mike Whitby (pictured), leader of the city council Conservative group, and his shadow Cabinet members next week. Coun Whitby (Harborne) is campaigning for an underground railway, which he believes would solve Birminghams transportation problems and boost the citys image in this country and abroad. An informal consortium is confident that private investors would be keen to take forward the underground plan if the idea gains political backing locally and nationally. Campaigners believe their case was strengthened by the intervention of Sir Albert Bore, Labour leader of Birmingham City Council, who this week questioned the wisdom of running Midland Metro tram lines along congested city centre streets. Sir Albert, who set out his views in a Birmingham Post article, believes future Metro lines would have to run underground. The West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority, however, described Sir Alberts suggestion as a non starter. Coun Whitby said: Expansion of the Midland Metro is in compete disarray, as Sir Albert Bores comments show. He has finally woken up to the fact that the whole project is a mess. It is nonsense to cut up city centre streets after the investment in projects like the Bullring, which is delivering exactly what this city wants a safe atmosphere for pedestrians and the ability to walk from one shopping area to another. The last thing investors want is for the street surface to be dug up, putting off people from coming into the city centre. In any case, the Transport Secretary has stated that there is no money available for additional Metro routes so we must now look at other ideas, including an underground, and work together to deliver the vision. Coun Whitby said he did not mind whether Birmingham ended up with a mix of Metro and an underground system. The important thing was to devise modern, efficient public transport that people would want to use. Research by the consortium shows that the cost of an underground would not be as high as critics have claimed, although it would still be significantly more than the Midland Metro. Singapore built 83 kilometres of track ten years ago for £2.1 billion. Madrid built 40 kilometres underground for £1.2 billion. The Midland Metro is costed at £7.2 million per kilometre of track. An underground railway, according to Coun Whitby, would cost twice as much for the track alone, and the total bill would be boosted by the need to provide stations and other infrastructure. Coun Whitby admits that a fresh approach is required if Birmingham is to progress. He urged the British Government to adopt regulations used in Spain, where planning permission and environmental impact studies are not required for tunnelling more than ten metres below the surface. The change would reduce costly compensation talks whilst avoiding compulsory purchase orders. | 
