Could Manchester's loss be Liverpool's gain?
Almost 2m people in Greater Manchester may, in part, hold the key to whether the latest attempt to make a funding bid for Merseytram is successful.
As we reported on Friday (see here), the Department for Transport (DfT) is to be asked for at least £270m to build Line One of Merseytram from Liverpool to Kirkby.
People living in Greater Manchester are currently voting in a referendum on whether a congestion charge should brought in.
If the vote is "yes" around £3bn of investment in transport schemes will be unlocked.
But if, when the ballot closes on Thursday, the charge is rejected Manchester will lose the money and some of the cash may go else where.
I am told by commentators following the referendum that there is a very real possibility the congestion charge may be rejected.
Coupled with the fact the government is keen to build its way out a recession, a "no" vote could be good very news for Merseyside.
The government is keen to fund projects that can start virtually straight away - not schemes that require months or years of more planning.
Merseytram ticks that box. All the preliminary work has already been done, and transport authority Merseytravel has planning permission until February 2010 to start work.
Merseytravel leader Mark Dowd says the transport authority would be able to start work in a matter of weeks if it got government cash.
But, Merseytravel is asking for at least £100m more than the £170m the DfT provisionally committed before and then withdrew in 2005.
The costs of the scheme now stand around £430m.
Merseytravel has already spent £70m on the scheme, leaving another £360m to be found.
The DfT would be asked for at least 75% of the remaining £360m, which would leave the Department with a bill of at least £270m.
These are big numbers. But crucially Merseyside councils must the scheme their support if it is to become a reality.
Political infighting was partly to blame for the aborted attempt to get Merseytram going last time round.
So the government wants to be sure that all Merseyside authorities are signed up this time.
But for now all eyes on a vote just down the M62, could Manchester's loss be Liverpool's gain?
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David Bartlett - City editor of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo covering politics, regeneration, and urban affairs. He was previously chief reporter of the Daily Post and here he gives his insight into the workings of regional politics.
Quite simply for Merseytram it does not matter which way Manchester votes. Manchester would still be in the better position for the investment due to the preparatory work they have undertaken for the bid. Also, all Greater Manchester authorities have agreed on the public transport investment, but not the congestion charge element. Merseyside on the other hand still doesn't have political agreement on Merseytram from all authorities. Also, unlike Greater Manchester there is no Multi Area Agreement in Merseyside because the leaders here speak to each other less than mute divorcees.