Steve Rawling The Politics Show North West

The Merseytram project is dead

Some might say that plans for a city wide light rail system on Merseyside were doomed from the beginning.

Clashes between the Labours controlled Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority and the Lib Dem Liverpool City Council and last minute changes to the proposed routes were just some of the problems.

But the project was brought to a skidding halt this week when the government announced it was withdrawing its �170m contribution to the project, blaming a lack of local support.

The Merseytram project was going to be a landmark project for the city, with three lines going out to Kirkby, Liverpool Airport and Whiston Hospital and the council's furious with the government.

Join us live from Liverpool City Centre on Sunday with Liverpool Lib Dem councillor Paul Clein and the Labour MP for Knowsley George Howarth as we discuss the issues surrounding the controversial decision.

Of course, Liverpool is not the only northern city to see its transport plans come off the rails.

In November 2005, the government pulled the plug on plans for a tram in Leeds.

Manchester's civic leaders are still lobbying Whitehall for the extra funds they say they need to go ahead with extensions to the Metrolink system.

... Also on the programme - why can't we hit the government target of getting 50% of young people into university?

And what does this failure mean for the region's knowledge-based economy?

Jim Hancock presents Politics Show North West with Gill Dummigan

The Politics Show

Join Jim Hancock and Gill Dummigan on the Politics Show on Sunday 11 December 2005 at Noon on BBC One.

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