A CONSERVATIVE government could sound the death knell for Merseytram.
Shadow Home Secretary and Minister for Merseyside Chris Grayling said his party is a supporter, in principle, but added the original proposal to run a first line from Liverpool to Kirkby was flawed and the parlous state of the nation’s finances have almost certainly killed any prospect of reviving the £316m scheme.
His comments are likely to cause dismay among Merseytravel leaders if, as widely expected, the Tories are in a position to form the next Government. Speaking at a forum of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce members yesterday, Mr Grayling said: “In principle, I think we always did support Merseytram.
“But the big mistake was not to learn the lesson of Manchester and Croydon.
“You need an anchor route and Line One to Kirkby was not likely to be as commercially successful as a city centre route going south through the suburbs – it was looked at the wrong way round.”
Mr Grayling’s comments echo criticisms of the original route made during the last bidding process by Merseytravel, with Liverpool city councillors saying they preferred a direct link to John Lennon Airport.
But if Everton FC and Tesco get the go-ahead for their development in Kirkby, Merseytravel believes it would make Line One more viable.
Asked if a Conservative government would back the scheme, Mr Grayling said: “We funded London’s Docklands light railway, Manchester and Croydon, but I would be cautious because of the finances over the next three or four years. I can’t say we will support it in the early days of a Conservative Government.”
