I think I've made my position on the subject of elected 'City Mayors' abundantly clear on this blog. I think they are undemocratic, inevitably concentrate power in the hands of unelected officers, and tend to attract 'celebrity' candidates. Wee Hazel Blears, on the other hand, thinks they cut through the bullshit, get things done, engage with the electorate and lots of other things, and she wants to force them on to Councils whether the local population want one or not.

Those of us opposed to Mayors find ourselves stymied, however, when you come across the sort of indecision and inertia demonstrated by Councillor Len Dithery Gregory...

An unnoticed but nevertheless important anniversary in the history of Birmingham City Council's Tory-Lib Dem coalition.

It is four years since transportation cabinet member Len Gregory decided to suspend "temporarily" the A38 Tyburn Road bus lanes.

Ninety-six months of research appears to have left Gregory no nearer deciding whether to abolish the lanes, reinstate them, or operate at peak times only.

It's all so difficult, according to my man with the clipboard and peaked hat.

Apparently, a decision was almost taken a few weeks ago only to be delayed again at Gregory's request. Further work is required, apparently, on traffic flows in the wider vicinity including the A47 Heartlands Spine Road, where the council has been operating a car sharing scheme.

Officials told the transportation scrutiny committee this week that the Spine Road experiment, where vehicles with two or more people can use a priority lane, has been a huge success. The 12-month scheme comes to an end in November, which means that Gregory is due to make a decision about the future of the road in September.

Good grief. The Tyburn Road bus lanes and the Spine Road car share on collision course in the decision-making stakes.

Len will be spending his summer hols with an ice pack on his head, but don't expect anything to happen this side of Christmas.

Hat Tip to Paul Dale.