Manchester betrayed over tram plans

July 21, 2004

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END OF THE LINE: No funding for Metrolink extension

WHEN the government threw out plans for a massive expansion of the Metrolink tram system yesterday it threw away the trust of the people of Greater Manchester.

Weasel words and false promises have betrayed us.

BETRAYED when John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, came to Manchester in 2000 and pledged the scheme would be built, saying the city had "led the way" in providing integrated transport.

BETRAYED when Prime Minister Tony Blair described the expansion in 1999 as "exactly the kind of infrastructure project we need".

BETRAYED when Transport Secretary Alistair Darling stood up in the House of Commons and announced a contract deal worth '520m in 2002.

For the last four years we have taken the government at its word that it would help create a transport system fit for the 21st century. This newspaper campaigned hard for the Big Bang expansion and we celebrated, along with our readers, when it was approved. Every financial evaluation of the scheme has been positive.

As we crawled along jammed streets and put up with gridlocked town centres, we believed the government when it said things would get better. We had a vision of a transport network worthy of this great conurbation, a network which would allow people to move freely and quickly, a network we know they want to use and which would be the foundation for a '1m-a-day boom.

Mr Darling said in 2002 that Metrolink had proved safe and reliable, he was approving cash for three new lines and building was planned to start the following year. Yesterday Mr Darling changed his mind, blaming escalating costs - but in the next breath announced billions of pounds for the south east transport infastructure. Many said it was a stab in the back for our region.

Face to face

Mr Darling says "no government could accept these schemes as they are on the basis of these cost escalations" - not even a government which watched the amount of grant funding for London's Millennium Dome increase from '399m to '628m?

Not a secretary of state who yesterday found '340m for transport projects to support London's bid for the 2012 Olympics?

Not even a secretary of state who is backing London`s '10bn Crossrail scheme which, in his words, presents "funding challenges"?

The Department of Transport has already spent '200m on advance planning work for the Metrolink expansion. Is that now to be wasted? Tell that to the people of Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton under Lyne and Wythenshawe. Mr Darling should visit those towns and tell people face to face why they cannot have their Metrolink.

The people of Greater Manchester have had enough of ministers praising the area as an example of regeneration and then ploughing taxpayers' money into London. The very least we expect is that the '520m which was pledged should be honoured.

That way, at least a start can be made to expand the network. And for an extra '7.5m each year for the next seven, the two east Manchester lines could be built by attracting private funding.

Every MP in this region has a duty to protest at the highest level - and we appeal to our readers to send us their views for a petition to Parliament.

Mr Darling says he cannot, or will not, foot the bill. We say the cost to Greater Manchester, and to the New Labour government, will be incalculable if he does not get this scheme back on track.

Shame on you.

Has Manchester been betrayed by the government? Have your say.

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mr monaghan, manchester (21/07/2004 at 11:11)

Im backing the M.E.N whatever it takes we'll get this extension built.

sprouty, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 11:20)

It's time for all of Manchester, not just the city itself to stand up together and do everything possible to get this built. It's time we stopped having to go to London with our caps in our hands asking for spare change.

If we get this built despite the massive hurdles the two-faced central government has put in our way we will have something we can truly be proud of, in the same mould as the Ship Canal was 100 years ago.

Chris, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 11:29)

This is a disgrace. The government have taken the only successful integrated transport scheme and scrapped it.

The location of the planned roots would have caused a vast reduction in the number of cars on our streets and made a huge economic boost for the city. This puts Manchester back 20 years.

The council should tell the government they intend to resign from the parliamentary labour party shortly before the next election. Let's see how quickly some of the 11 billion for London's new railway is distributed.

W. hall, audenshaw (21/07/2004 at 11:30)

Get this government out and elect one that will spend money in the North of england not in the rich south or billions of pounds on wars.

Dean, Manc (21/07/2004 at 11:31)

I would back the M.E.N with whatever scheme they can come up with to tell government that the people of Manchester deserve a decent public transport system. Do the people of Manchester not pay tax? Should it only be people in London who benefit from the tax the country as a whole generates? I don't believe there is a North-South divide, i believe there is a London-Rest of the country divide that must stop NOW

Jason, Altrincham (21/07/2004 at 11:55)

What a farce, Manchester needs to stand up and protest big time over this debacle. Lets hope our MP's back us up get this sorted out. Its disgusting the amount of money being ploughed into London for their various projects. Labour has just lost my vote over this one! MANCHESTER MUST FIGHT!

George, Didsbury (21/07/2004 at 12:00)

There is no incentive for any Labour government to give anything to Manchester. This is because the Labour party has fixed the constituency boundaries to ensure that the City council remains in Labour control in perpetuity, and also that the City only sends Labour MPs to Westminster.

Luke Jameson, Monton (21/07/2004 at 12:06)

Is this an opportunity to argue for a North West Regional Asembly - to spend a portion of the Regions tax generated funds for the benefit of the the region.

Mark, Stalybridge (21/07/2004 at 12:15)

I Shocked and angry at this manchester lost out again to the goverment. they can spend millions on oylmpic bids (Thanks to manchester wounderful games)but then tell us no funds will be availble to our wounderful tram system i be backing MEN all the way to get this done

Joe Michalczuk, Portsmouth (21/07/2004 at 12:24)

Complete overreaction by the MEN. This decision isn't a personal attack on Manchester, backing up the ridiculous anti-London feeling that exists in the city. It's a financial decision taken for the whole country. Portsmouth tram plans have been shelved as well (FTR Portsmouth is the most densely populated city in the country and the B#9million that was spent by the council over 10 years planning it is now lost)

I live in Manchester for the most of the year and absolutely love the city and the north but nothing angers me more than the constant anti-london tirade from the MEN. Manchester is a great city in it's own right - forget about London, decisions like this have absolutely nothing to do with any sort of London bias people of the north invent.

mark b, stretford (21/07/2004 at 12:28)

this about turn does not surprise me in the least. people in manchester should also understand that even if we acdept the nw regional assembly, they would not be in a position to fund the extensions either. so the YES campaign has had its legs cut off before it started. notice who instigated this - johnny two jags, who wants the assembly - johnny two jags.
i believe that we have been cooned by london politicians yet again. manchester transport system is on the verge of collapse yet teflon tony's boys are cocking a deaf ear to us yet again.

Davy Hulme, Ashton-Under-Lyne (21/07/2004 at 12:33)

Some of us are very pleased that the unreliable, over-priced Metro trams will not be coming to Ashton. Also, many folk in Oldham and Rochdale are reportedly delighted not to get trams. No one excepte the GMPTE thought their replacement of trains on the Oldham Loop was a good idea anyway.

Mr Schiele, Oldham (21/07/2004 at 12:36)

Bye bye Labour. Manchester is a fine city but clearly labour see it to have no worth so bring on a regional assembly for one of the pivitol cities of the North.
Sorry people of London but I raise 2 fingers and salute you as the centre of the universe.

Gregory Happy, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 12:36)

So New Labour has let down all it's faithful Manchester voters. Stop me from laughing please.

All the expense of knocking down perfectly good houses wasted because of the inept government

andy, manchester (21/07/2004 at 12:37)

You all voted this Prime Minister in, now lets vote him out

Nic, Manchetser (21/07/2004 at 12:37)

It's a complete waste of money anyway, why pay that much for a system that is constantly delayed, over priced, slow and dirty with vehicles that fail every day and turn our journeys into a complete nightmare. They should focus on the other public transport systems instead.

Mike Wafer, Audenshaw, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 12:44)

Remember when the bid for the Commwealth Games was first put forward the stadium for it was going to hold 80,000. Then it got reduced to 60,000 because of costs and then reduced to 40,000 and with an incomplete North Stand (temporary scaffold structure)which finally Man City paid B#25 million pounds to complete.

Then there's the M60. It took 25 years to complete. They built a tiny bit through Stockport to Denton and stopped. Then fifteen years after that they completed the link throught to the M62.

May be we will have to wait another fifteen years for them to complete the Metrolink! Why don't ALL OF THE CITY COUNCILS around the NORTH WEST get together and start a fund raising drive to get the funds from everybody in the north west. The money doesn't have to only come from the public it should also come from the private sector because they will benefit as well. I just feel that once again we will think "What can we do".

Come on Manchester, come on.

Ernie, Virginia (21/07/2004 at 12:44)

The goverment are planning for a "Rail link across London" cost
TEN BILLION pounds.
Why deprive Manchester of its extention to help traffic congestion cost 520 Million.

M.Billings, Ashton under Lyne (21/07/2004 at 12:51)

All of the people of Manchester should be soliid together on this one. Let's make this Government regret this scandalous decision.

Helen, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 12:51)

Apparently Mr Prescott is going to be a keynote speaker at 'Property and the Northern Way' which is being held in Leeds on October 19.

Mr Prescott is billed as "a fierce advocate of regeneration and regional development" and "will lead a string of other public sector and private sector players in exploring new opportunities for a Government-designated area of the north."

Other speakers includd David Higgins (English Partnerships chief executive), Sir Michael Lyones.

Should be a short appearance by one and all then, considering the Government have just demonstrated to Manchester what they think about regeneration and growth!!

Mike, Dukinfield (21/07/2004 at 12:58)

New Labour, bring back the old labour.
This is a big big mistake Mr Blair. Dont count on your labour vote at the next general election from the Tameside, Oldham and Manchester labour strongholds.
Lies, lies, lies. Not the first time though, just look at the mess in Iraq.
Get the muppet and his puppets out before the country comes to a standstill.

Dave, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 12:59)

I can't wait for the vote on the Regional Assembley!!

This move by the Government just re-enforces the idea that we need to be governed by people in the region. Who know what we need, and will give it to us.

L, Chorlton (21/07/2004 at 13:02)

shame on you MEN for stoking the emotive fire that is/was the Metro. Had you reported in a balanced and even handed manner over the past 7 years maybe more people would have been aware that this scheme was never unconditionally promised by the government. Instead MEN became a campaign group spreading the delusion that this was a cut and dried case. the premature actions of the transport authority in starting works without having funding for the full project, including the demolition of people homes, also sought to create an image that this scheme was a go-er. As mentioned by someone elsewhere, the original estimates were a work of fiction and it is this bad planning that is responsible for the death knell of this scheme not malicious government plotting based on prejudice for the north. The disgrace here is that so many bodies worked to create an illusion that this scheme had far more buy in by government then it ever had. People should ask questions in the right places - the transport authority and the council for a start.

Third Rate Citizen, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 13:04)

So us non-Londoners have to put up with the spiralling costs of The Dome, New Wembley, Crossrail (what final cost in 2013, B#20 bn, B#30 bn?) and the waste-of-time Olympic bid (remember how M/crs bids were ridiculed in the South-East?), but when it comes to us asking for what was promised to us, no chance. Disgusting. Disgraceful. I just hope that every Mancunian remembers this outrage at the next Election.

David Kimmer, Ashton Under Lyne (21/07/2004 at 13:04)

We need to get this petition going immediately. For a national government we have seen Christies ignored to near closure and now this in the favour of London which already has the tube and buses coming out of its ears. Perhaps Manchester businesses can help by moving all their operations out of London so that Blair no longer has congestion problems! Why take away people's homes and build up dreams when all you want is white elephants in our capital city? Enough is enough. Our MPs must fight for Manchester and not London.

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