Its generally stated that train lines in and around Manchester are already very busy, and money is alrerady being spent to increase through capacity e.g. the Odsall Curve, so does that mean that any trams run on train tracks will be instead of exisiting trains, rather than in addition to them?

If so who pays for the trams? Current rail operations are heavily tax payer funded, despite privatisation (with revenue about equal between tickets and subsidies), certainly all announcements of new rolling stock tend to emanate from Whitehall, inplying that central government is paying.

Is there a danger here that, in their rush for ever more control local politicians in effect allow a stealth cut in public spending as rail is replaced by Metro, without the transfer of money that would be needed to make it work?