Latest Merseytram letter from transport minister Sadiq Khan
Dear Cllr Round,
Current position on Merseytram
I would like to clarify mine and the DfT position following my letter of 9 October and subsequent questions about the future of Merseytram.
Contrary to some media reports, my letter did not state that I had withdrawn support for the Merseytram. I have categorically not done so.
As both I and other ministerial colleagues have said before, we would be happy to receive a fresh proposal for Merseytram, but only as long as it has been prioritised for funding by the region.
If the scheme was to be prioritised, the Department of Transport would be happy to consider any bid received. We would need to take into account a number of factors. In line with other light rail schemes, we would require Merseytravel to provide 25% of the scheme costs and, given the scale of funding being sought, we would also wish to see that any cot overruns would be fully covered by those Merseyside districts which would benefit from the scheme.
Given this position it is for sub-regional partners to consider the next step regarding continued development of the scheme.
I am copying this letter to those who received my initial letter - Councillor Dowd, chair of the integrated transport authority [Merseytram], George Howarth MR and Neil Scales, [chief executive] of Merseytravel.
Best wishes
Sadiq Khan
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David Bartlett
City editor of the Post and Echo covering politics, regeneration, and urban affairs.
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My opinion of this project is well known. I will never support it while I am still a resident of this City. Apart from the folly of closing one carriageway of West Derby Road and decimating half the beautiful trees on Muirhead Avenue, the potential revenue deficit this scheme could create would cripple the Council's financial plans for years to come. Other tram schemes up and down the country have proved disastrous with Croydon, for example, ã100M in the red in 2006. Dead horses and white elephants should be buried as quickly as possible.
Cllr Stuart Monkcom,
West Derby Ward.
Fortunately, the Leader of the Council is now mandated to offer his 'vocal and enthusiastic support' to this scheme, after the Lib Dem's failure to impose an amendment on Wednesday night. I'm sure that'll make a tremendous difference (!), but it is also VERY sad that it takes a council mandate for the leader of the City of Liverpool to begin to show any leadership, and to fight the corner for his city.
Mandate or not, no Council Leader with any intelligence is going to vocally and enthusiastically support bankrupting his own Council and leave himself open to a charge of malfeasance by the District Auditor. Come on scamp, don't make me laugh!