TONY Blair has pledged that the Metrolink "Big Bang" WILL go ahead.
The Labour leader - speaking to the Manchester Evening News on his election battle bus - gave his unqualified personal backing for the first time to the project for a massive expansion of the Greater Manchester tram network.
The move will come as a huge boost to transport chiefs in Greater Manchester who were privately sceptical of the way Labour included the project in its election manifesto.
That document only says that '520m has been "committed" to Metrolink - even though that sum is not enough for the full Big Bang scheme with new lines to east Manchester, the airport and Rochdale and Oldham.
Mr Blair has previously said only that he supported the project "100 per cent" - if it could be made affordable.
But when he visited Rochdale yesterday he was asked directly by the M.E.N. if he was personally committed to the Big Bang going ahead. Mr Blair replied: "Yes, I am." Asked if the project would go ahead, he said: "Yes it will. We have got to get the proper plans in place but we are working on that.
"We have supported this from the beginning. What changed was the tripling of the cost."
Congestion
Mr Blair suggested extra money would be forthcoming from the Transport Innovation Fund, a pot for cutting congestion that starts at '200m in 2008 and rises to '2bn a year.
"There will be people going for it, but the Metrolink has got a very strong case," he said.
The Big Bang project was scrapped by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling last summer when costs rose above '520m. The Get Back On Track campaign, led by the Manchester Evening News and backed by a 40,000-strong petition handed in to Downing Street, has helped put that money back on the table.
Transport bosses in Greater Manchester are drawing up a revised package that could cut costs from an estimated '900m.
Roger Jones, chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, said he was "delighted" by Mr Blair's words: "The Labour party is the only party to have put Metrolink in its manifesto. If the prime minister is now taking that a step further and saying he is committed to the Big Bang, or the three lines, I am delighted. That gets us one step further forward."
Mr Blair was speaking to the M.E.N. on his way to a walkabout in the Turf Hill estate.
Mr Blair said he could not comment on calls to give the George Cross to Stephen Oake, the GMP detective murdered trying to arrest terrorist Kamel Bourgass in Crumpsall in January But he said: "I can say that Stephen Oake was a hero and someone not just Manchester but the whole country can take pride in."
What do you think of Metrolink? Have your say.
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Kurt Stephens, Sale, Manchester (22/04/2005 at 08:50)
Chris Reddy, Altrincham (22/04/2005 at 09:29)
Nadeem Aslam, Rochdale (22/04/2005 at 10:05)
Was it not this same Labour government who said yes we can have the tram and then did a U turn. Yet gave millions to the dome even when costs spiralled. I think it is wrong to use the tram as a political football we were promised it and we demand this would never be an issue if the money promised had been handed over last year.
Graham, Manchester (22/04/2005 at 10:13)
If these comments by Blair are not a blatant example of electioneering then I don't know what is.
Anyway why attach so much importance to his comments.
They don't need to hold water
because no political party is going to get elected on the strength of a purely local issue.
Steve, Crumpsall (22/04/2005 at 12:28)
Kurt Stephens, Sale, Manchester (22/04/2005 at 12:36)
The also said at the time that if the price were to rise they would not give extra cash - they didn't.
I am not too sure where the distrust of the government, on this particular issue comes from.
Right from the start, they have done exactly what they said they would do.
They had also suggested - prior to the election campaign that the Transport Inniative Fund would be used to fund the rest of Phase 3, just never confirmed it.
Javier, Manchester (22/04/2005 at 12:43)
Peter Everall, Didsbury (22/04/2005 at 12:57)
Kurt Stephens, Sale, Manchester (22/04/2005 at 12:59)
Don't think that Phase 3 is simply about new lines, it also incldues improving the Phase 1 and Phase 2 network.
Andy, Worsley (22/04/2005 at 13:10)
peterLeech, manchester (22/04/2005 at 13:16)
Damo, Manchester (22/04/2005 at 14:19)
bernie, trafford (22/04/2005 at 14:36)
'arry, Arbroath (22/04/2005 at 21:33)
Debbie, Heaton Park (22/04/2005 at 22:20)
mark, stretford (23/04/2005 at 08:51)
this is blatant electioneering and the MEN has fallen for phony tonys non-committment yet again over this issue.
bye bye phony tony on may 5th!!!.
Sue O, Wythenshawe (24/04/2005 at 19:18)
Frequent User, manchester (02/05/2005 at 01:04)
On, Off, On................!
The only way to guarantee that both Phase 3 is built, and Phases 1&2 upgraded - is NOT TO VOTE FOR LABOUR
They cannot be trusted on anything to do with Metrolink (or on anything else for that matter.....)
Agreed - the current service can be infrequent, could be cleaner, is overcrowded in peak and has other flaws, but their is no viable alternative.
Don't blame the operators - like any PPP they run to a concession, with infrastructure & trams they inherited. Made in Italy some 15 years ago, run for 20 hours a day (everyday), on track laid over 60 years ago (Bury line) ..... !
The biggest threat to Phase 3 and any improvements is the cost-cutting "if it can be made more affordable" attitude.
The benefits to areas around the existing lines is incalcuably high & extremely beneficial, both for creation of jobs, economics, house prices & 3rd party investment.
Its 'green' transport and it serves Manchester and the north-west very well. If Manchester wants to stay a major city, Metrolink extension & investment isn't negotiable, its an absolute necessity for the socio-economic future of our area.