Campaign to rekindle 'big bang' tram plans

July 21, 2004

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THE Manchester Evening News and Manchester Online are campaigning for a massive expansion to the Metrolink tram network - and is demanding the government delivers the '520m it has promised.

The move comes after the announcement that Alistair Darling had blocked the "Big Bang" scheme to build three new lines to Oldham and Rochdale, South Manchester and Ashton.

But we will not lie down and accept the decision - it will support the Back On Track campaign to get the money promised.

A total of '200m has already been spent on preparatory works. We are calling for the government to hand over the remaining '320m. If they do this it will be possible to build one of the three lines. For another '200m a second line could be built. Only half of that would have to come from government, at a rate of just '7.5m a year. The rest would be raised locally.

The third line could be built for another '160m.

We are rekindling our campaign, supported by the public and transport leaders from all over the Greater Manchester, which led Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to pledge financial support in 2000.

Should the government keep its promise and provide the money to fund the Metrolink extensions? Have your say.

Click here to sign our Get Back On Track petition and join the campaign.

To text your support for the Get Back on Track campaign, simply text the word tram, followed by a space then your name and postcode to 83105. Each text costs 25p plus your standard message rate. The service is provided by Cellus.

Audio

Metrolink protest 1
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Robert Ridley speaking at a Metrolink protest
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Paul Horrocks, editor of the MEN
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Roger Jones, chairman of the GMPTE
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Dean Smith, London (21/07/2004 at 16:06)

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/page/dft_railways_029749-07.hcsp#P1073_209521

Read this business case for crossrail. I live in London but crossrail is a waste of money. The money should go to the manchester mertro !

derek lancaster, droylsden (21/07/2004 at 16:47)

What can you expect of a government who commits their servicemen to a war then proceeds to rip the forces apart so soon afterwards. The sooner they go the better except I believe most people have no faith in either of the other parties

Chris, Glossop (21/07/2004 at 17:06)

The sad thing is that the longer that this scheme is delayed, the bigger the final cost will be if it is ever resurrected. A city like Manchester needs a modern, usable public transport infrastucture; not only if we are to compete with the best cities in Europe but also to attract investment and retain those skills vital to the local economy. This camapign needs to get in gear: local MPs need to be made aware of local anger and cash needs to be unlocked from somewhere - time literally is money. We won the Commonwealth Games; we must not give up on Metrolink.

Mark, North of watford (21/07/2004 at 18:37)

You can email your mp though the www.parliament.uk website. If we all do this they will have to stand up and take notice.

Kelly, Wythenshawe (21/07/2004 at 18:51)

I am glad the plans have been shelved. The metrolink was due to pass directly infront of my house about ooh less than 3 meters away from my front door, taking up lovely tree lined wide grass areas to be replaced with metal posts and overhead cables. Anyone who has watched Britains noisiest houses will have witnessed the misery that the Metrolink has brought to those who had no say about it darkening their doors.

Wouldn't it be more prudent and wiser to spend that money on improving the bus systems we already have and maybe, just maybe we can have regular, reliable clean services like the rest of Europe.
Metrolink, no thanks.

Nathan Pledger, Crumpsall (21/07/2004 at 19:42)

Absolutely. I think that getting one of the lines ecured first would be the best option in the light of recent events.

The evidence of success of the system is evident in the redevelopment of the tram corridor to Eccles, and this should be repeated in towns such as Oldham and Rochdale.

The government messed us around for 4 years, lets get the original figure and manage it ourselves. I wonder how much money could be raised by every passenger on a given day donating a pound. Not a great solution, but we buy it, we can manage it.

If we don't get this expansion, Serco will let the system rot. Every day we have delays. Every day we have failed vehicles. We need investment, even if it is just to re-train staff and get new (proper) vehicles-ie. not cheap ones from Germany.

David Jones, Chadderton, Oldham (21/07/2004 at 22:45)

The government's hypocrisy beggars belief. One day they propose the possible introduction of road charges, with the belief that this will reduce congestion and create funding to improve the transport infrastructure. Then in the next breath they take away one of the very initiatives to reduce congestion in one of the biggest conurbations in the UK.

Or is that someone whispered in Alistair Darlings ear that the scraping of the Metro Link expansion would bring in more funds, as people would be forced to still use their cars and subsequently fund the building of transport links in London.

Too much work has already been done, too many people's lives have been uprooted and too many hopes have been destroyed.

Well done to the MEN for campaigning to bring to the region what we deserve and were promised. This is the chance for the government to show the nation that there is still some honour in their ranks. Reverse the decision now.

mark alliance, cheadle cheshire (21/07/2004 at 22:46)

i think that metrolink should go ahead with all lines
and to get the mony
and start the work
on all lines

James, City Centre, Manchester (21/07/2004 at 23:40)

Congratulations to the MEN - and also our councillors - for starting a fightback.

If every Labour MP in Greater Manchester - and indeed the Labour MPs who cover Leeds and Liverpool, which also saw their tram schemes scrapped - were to resign the Labour whip the government would lose it's majority overnight. Now wouldnt that wake the smarmy southern biased Labour leaders up!

martin rochford, city centre (21/07/2004 at 23:41)

Yes the government should deliver what they have promised , or it will just be another labour u turn again , words without meaning , think about tuition fees etc .

Livid, Altrincham (22/07/2004 at 08:17)

Come on Manchester!
Direct action is what is needed. We must support any campaign to build the extensions with vigour!

Michael North, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (22/07/2004 at 08:51)

Hang on in there Manchester! Fortunately we held on to our trams when cities were being pressurised by commercial interests to get rid of them 50-60 years ago. We still enjoy the benefits that you should have been enjoying had not some one made money by replacing your trams with buses. It will cost more not to replace what you lost with a modern system than it will if your present needs are not attended to.

David Bignell, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport (22/07/2004 at 09:34)

Well done the M.E.N.! I fully support their 'Back On Track' campaign, not only as it's good for the area of Greater Manchester as a whole, but it also reduces the number of car-journeys made by parents with schoolchildren - anyone who ever happens to witness Altrincham Interchange at 3pm or so on a schoolday will know what I'm talking about! I hope the people of Manchester can really throw their weight into getting the money back from these spineless politicians - we want trams to Peel Hall, not lies from Whitehall

mark, chester (22/07/2004 at 10:05)

They can do what they want, I'm sick to the back teeth of the way they've been carrying on; from dentists to public transport there's nothing these clowns can do right.

They want to introduce road tolling for roads we already pay for, claiming they're improving public transport with the money.

I'm never voting Labour again, they're just Tories with PR.

Dave Stewart, Manchester (22/07/2004 at 10:17)

It is so typical of this goverment that they promise things (for the publicity) and then do nothing. I will support your "Back on Track" campaign - how do I sign up.

Alan, Crawley (22/07/2004 at 14:23)

This Government policy stinks! As an Ashtonian who moved away and has experienced the oh so wonderful public trasnport network within London, Crossrail is a positive waste of money. The money should be spent on the regions of the UK, including the Metrolink rather than over spending on the pathetic attempt at a public transport network that London already possesses.

Richard Williams, Altrincham (22/07/2004 at 14:37)

As a resident of Altrincham I already use the vastly overcrowded Metro. It desparately needs to be extended and capacity needs to be increased to get cars off the roads. As a recent user of the Tube (Victoria Line) I am sure the Metro is more crowded. People fall out of the doors, rather than getting on during rush hour.

I have just sent an e-mail to Tony Blair on the Number 10 website at www.number-10.gov.uk to register my complaint about the recent decision to shelve Metrolink expansion.

We all need to bombard the Government with our views to stop all the available transport funds being poured into the South East and Crossrail.

Take a minute to tell the PM what you think via his e-mail!

Jeff, Manchester (22/07/2004 at 16:20)

Why don't we build the Metrolink ourselves ? Issue shares in the company to build and run the lines, perhaps along the lines of the Shareholders United scheme. Maybe you can only afford B#10, but at least you as a citizen can own a little personally and contribute a lot collectively. At the end of the project you have a transport system to be proud of, and a maybe a little amount of cash in shares in the company that will run the lines afterwards. Maybe a simplistic solution but i'd rather contribute to M/cr's progress than do nothing and complain.

Ron Hallen, Swinton, M27 0AY. (22/07/2004 at 16:57)

What about forming a fighting company, say 'GET BACK ON TRACK plc'. All Supporters buy a B#10 Share with the understanding there is no refund unless the company is wound up?

BILL, BAGULEY (22/07/2004 at 17:06)

No Metrolink No vote for Labour, If we all get together with the other citys then the goverment maybe think again, or lose a well payed job

Nicholas Newby, Romiley/Manchester (22/07/2004 at 17:29)

I am furious about the scrapping of the extention of the Manchester Metro Link. The current service is fantastic and it has opened up alot more of manchester, and the propossed new routes would have made even more improvements.

I am sick of hearing about London getting this and London getting that, and now I have heard London are getting 10 Billion Pounds for a cross city rail link....Hav'nt they got enough down there, and what they have they struggle to make that work let alone spending more of our money on something that probably will run into problem after problem.
London has a very good under groud system (it runs into occasional problems, but so does everything). What about Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.....3 of the fastest growong cities in the country and all there plans have been scapped..... This is an outrage. Alister Darling needs sacking...

Alan Willoughby, Chorlton (22/07/2004 at 18:19)

We appear to be getting confusing signals from government at the momment. Car taxes are going up to pay for the pollution that they cause, congestion charges are to be introducing into cities to try and reduce the traffic!!!!
Now they get an opportunity to do something that will reduce the traffic in the city and what do they do?
What alternative is there to using a car? There will always be an investment cost to pay but surely the long term benefits have got to be worth this price?
Common sense has got to prevail? Hasn't it?

Chris Brennen, Worsley,Manchester (22/07/2004 at 20:05)

As a matter of interest, why does London need Crossrail? It already has a far better public transport system than other places in the country. For example, to get across London, you can use the tube, or bus, or even a taxi. Or even, any combination of those (and more if you include DLR and River Buses). Surely it's not so hard to get from one side to the other that they need a specially built railway line? Crossrail has a slogan "Crossrail - Crossing the Capital... Connecting the UK". How exactly is it connecting the UK again?

Steve Williams, Denton (22/07/2004 at 20:36)

One wonders if London cares about the North atall apart from keeping it poor in order to breed Northern Boys to fight southern wars. Everything is going to London and its always an expensive mistake. The Dome, Wembley,Heathrow airport etc etc. No matter what form of transport you use getting to London on average takes 4 hours or more for 200 miles thats failure!. The M6 extension will be cancelled next and then what? I have to ask the question would we better off in Europe and out of the United Kingdom?

Stuart Buckley, Oldham (22/07/2004 at 20:36)

Can't believe a labour goverment could be so blind as to what impact this as on the Greater Manchester area. We have been hard line labour supports in this area. To be stabed in the back in such a way is unforgivable. If there is no change of heart then I will be forced to change my vote. Not just me but the rest of my voting age family. We are all gob smacked at this desicion. 23 votes lost?

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