Where’s Liverpool’s tram money?

NOT only has Manchester pocketed an additional £120m of Government cash, on top of the £575m already approved for doubling the size of their tram system – money which would have paid for Merseytram four times over – but now they have stolen Merseytravel’s yellow and grey livery scheme for their new trams.

Government money is paying for 54 new trams which are now appearing in colours which are a dead ringer for those of Merseytravel.Š

Does Manchester have no shame in adding insult to Liverpool’s injury?

Even a city like Nottingham is set to receive £530m to build two new routes to expand its successful NET tram network.ŠManchester’s £700m will add five new routes and 54 new trams. No wonder they can afford a new paint scheme. Meanwhile, in Liverpool, we see congestion grow and grow.

It is about time Liverpool was given equal treatment by Government for funding Merseytram, which is an essential element of the Local Transport Plan.

As Cllr Dowd aptly put it: “Where’s ours!”.

John Armstrong, via email

Recognise city role

FOLLOWING the Prime Minister’s apology to children sent overseas, it is perhaps important that Liverpool’s role in this questionable traffic should be recognised.

From the 1870s until the 1930s, children were sent from the city and elsewhere by the Liverpool Sheltering Home and the Catholic Church.

The 1998 Parliamentary Committee on ‘The Welfare of Former British Child Migrants recommended that a memorial be erected in one of the ports from which the children sailed.

This does not appear to have been done, and Liverpool would clearly be an appropriate place for such a monument. Suitable locations might be the former building of the Sheltering Home on Myrtle Street, until recently the art school of Liverpool John Moores University; at the Pier Head, from which the children sailed; or in St John’s Gardens, where there are statues to several Victorian worthies who were responsible for these schemes – though, interestingly, the emigrating of poor children is not mentioned among their various good works for the city.

John Dickenson, Liverpool

Nautical heritage

THE LDP is right to ask “Why is it that Merseyside appears to be so irredeemably poor at maintaining its nautical heritage?” (“Short-sighted city sidesteps history”, Daily Post, March 5).

They say bad things come in threes, so it was of little surprise to learn about the plight of yet another historic vessel.

As welcome as the news is pertaining to an online petition to save the Royal Iris and Countess Mountbatten joining those involved in the HMS Whimbrel campaign, a region such as Merseyside should hang its head in shame.

“Of course, rescue and preservation programmes cost money, and there are many calls on the country’s dwindling resources in these straitened times,” your editorial continues.

Yet, the Wirral Chamber of Commerce and Liverpool city council would do well to support or fund The Landfall above either an indoor cricket centre or a year-long dance programme – both of them plans reported on the same day.

Lee P Ruddin, Moreton

Pakistan kidnap

THE kidnapping of five-year-old boy Sahil Saeed is truly awful.

Sadly, even as a politician, I am powerless to help but, as a father-to-be, my heart goes out to his parents and wider family.

I hope that the Pakistan police are doing absolutely everything they can to find this little boy and return him to his Oldham home.Š

Meanwhile, all I can do is add my prayers to all those of so many.

Paul Nuttall, UKIP MEP for the North West

Proud of Hoylake

IT MADE me very proud to be a Hoylake resident when I learnt that our town is to host the Women’s Open in 2012 and the Open Golf in 2014.

If this goes on, Hoylake will soon be recognised as the world’s number one links course.

J Morris, Hoylake

Sing the anthem

WAYNE ROONEY may be a good footballer, but it is shameful he does not appear to make any attempt to sing the National Anthem. It’s a pity team captains don’t take it upon themselves to encourage their team to sing the words with pride as other countries do.

Name and address supplied

Afghanistan deaths

I CAN’T believe we are reading yet another story of lives lost in Afghanistan because of poor training and equipment.

When our men and women go to war, they understand they are risking their lives, but they should also be able to go with the knowledge that they will be given all the equipment and training they need.

Sadly, that seems not to always be the case. My heart goes out to all the families concerned.

Mrs G Taylor, Heswall