MPs hit at ministers over tram projects
The Government is biased against modern tram schemes, such as the Midland Metro, a report from MPs claimed today.
The Government is biased against modern tram schemes, such as the Midland Metro, a report from MPs claimed today.
Plans to extend the Midland Metro with a second line between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill have so far failed to get off the ground with the Government refusing to commit the £288 million needed because council leaders would not force congestion charging on motorists.
An extension of the existing Line One into Birmingham city centre is more likely but the £82 million needed is still waiting approval more than four months after a business plan was submitted.
Another £30m extension of the line at Wolverhampton, which will see the trams make a loop of the city centre, is also awaiting funding having been given the green light to submit a business case in July next year.
A total of £157m is needed for the Line One schemes including 19 new, longer trams and platform extensions. After the £82m the rest needs to be raised by transport authority Centro.
But today the report from the All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group said progress on implementing tram and light rail systems was "slow and fitful".
The Department for Transport (DfT) still lacked an overall light rail strategy, the report said.
Also, the DfT did not treat light rail proposals in the same way as other modes and the department had a tendency to "micro-manage from the centre", the group said.
The report concluded that to bring back trams to more city streets there needed to be a clearer lead from Government, less bias against trams in the appraisal processes, and for ways to be found of further cutting the costs of new schemes.
MP Paul Rowen, who chaired the group's inquiry into the future of light rail, said: "Overall, the progress on implementing modern trams has been slow and fitful – certainly when compared with our near-neighbours in Europe, where entire systems are being built in the time it takes us to get through the mountains of paperwork."
Councillor Gary Clarke, chairman of Centro, said: "The Government is dithering. We just need to get on with the job. We know that the Metro works, that the technology is there but as usual we are being made to wait. It is absolutely ridiculous."
