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CERTAIN: Alistair Darling.
Darling pledge on Metrolink
21/10/2005
METROLINK extensions WILL play a major part in a transport deal aimed at avoiding US-style gridlock in Greater Manchester.
This pledge was given today by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling during a fact-finding mission to the city to meet transport and business chiefs.
"I say explicitly trams will be part of the solution Manchester needs. I'm sure trams will play a major part," Mr Darling told the Manchester Evening News.
Behind the pledge is the grim warning from transport experts of a 26 per cent increase in traffic in the area over 20 years.
As talks continue on the Metrolink extensions, Mr Darling says the offer of £520m from the government is still on the table - £102m has been approved to modernise trams and track and there is the prospect of millions more from the transport innovation fund.
Anti-tram
But the minister made it clear the extensions of Metrolink must be part of measures to improve transport not only by trams but buses and trains. Asked if it was true civil servants in the Department of Transport were anti-tram, Mr Darling said: "I am the Secretary of State and what matters is what the Secretary of State thinks.
"Our position is for any transport system to be effective, you have to address the other traffic pressures, and it has to be affordable. If Greater Manchester does do something more to stop people coming into the city in their cars, that will increase the number of people using the trams and that in turn will reduce the cost of them.
"The difference between now and a year ago is both us and the PTE are working very closely together and trying to develop something that will actually work.
"I'm confident that what we'll have at the end of this process is a plan that addresses all of Greater Manchester's needs."
Are you confident that tram extensions have a place in Manchester's future? Have your say.
Most recent 2 of 20 user comments
21/10/2005 at 22:33
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If you ask me whether I'd prefer a suburban train service which runs no more than once or twice an hour, or a tram service every 6/12 minutes, so frequent that you can just turn up, I know what I'd choose.
As for trams on roads causing congestion: again if you offer me the choice of a train to Victoria then a 10-20 minute walk or bus to where I work, or a tram which gets right into the heart of the city, I'd choose the latter. These two points in fact make public transport to work a realistic alternative to the car, so I argue that they reduce congestion by taking more cars off the road.
24/10/2005 at 13:08
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