Care needed on city’s tram tax

Oct 17 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

OFFICIALS at Merseytravel refuse to let the idea of their coveted tram system slip away into oblivion, despite the Government’s duplicitous attempt to kill it off not so long ago.

Now, executives are flagging up the idea that income from a supplementary business rate imposed on the region’s commercial enterprises could help resurrect the proposals, and get the trams plan for the Liverpool to Kirkby line back on track.

After all, with so many people lining up to complain about rush-hour congestion in Liverpool, there is still a valid case to be made for the new system.

Factor in the added incentive that, since the plans were last lying on the table, Everton’s plan to relocate to Kirkby, at the end of the line, has moved resolutely up the agenda, and there are many who might claim that Merseytram is not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

Transport officials say they do not believe industry would have a problem with the additional business tax, if executives firmly believed they would benefit from it.

We must be cautious, however. Though there may be some bosses who can see the advantages of shifting drivers onto a newly-funded public transport network, there will be many more yet to be convinced that Merseytram will be of any use to either them or their customers.

In those circumstances, they would re- gard any additional tax measures as pun- itive, rather than beneficial – and who can tell what their reaction might be?

Liverpool City Council has already made great strides to reach out to the business community, and work in part- nership with them in pursuit of a com- mon goal, rather than from opposite sides of a traditional "us" and "them" divide.

If Liverpool really does want to be seen as business-friendly, the city must ensure that the fullest possible consultation is carried out before introducing extra taxes, and then reach an agreement on doing so. Otherwise, all their aspirations will be in ruins.