I WRITE in response to to Steve Howell’s article “Why a Metro System is better than a new M4”; South Wales Argus , Tuesday, November 12 2013.

It seems to me that proponents of projects such as Metro systems are locked into a 19th/20th-century mind set.

Instead of spending billions, on the construction such projects, we in South Wales, in particular, should consider the strategy of distributing and developing, business and industrial parks, manufacturing training colleges, in the valley communities and smaller urban areas. These develop ments would provide training and sustainable employment, fit for the 21st century.

These business/industrial parks would be far more accessible, cheaper to build and maintain; and, in many instances, would be able to incorporate their own independent energy supply (e.g. solar panels, wind turbines, and associated energy storage systems. Executive management could, if they so wished, communicate with their workforce via modern IT systems. The cost of commuting by road and rail would be vastly reduced.

The cost of maintenance to road and rail infrastructures would also be vastly reduced.

The increased number, and spread, of 21st century jobs would be far more equitable.

Brian Hayes Clearwell Court Newport