Three new routes were planned for Greater Manchester

The announcement was made after a meeting in the Commons on Wednesday between Prime Minister Tony Blair and 21 Greater Manchester MPs.

The working party will include Transport Minister Tony McNulty and representatives from Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive.

Manchester Withington MP Keith Bradley will represent the MPs.

Urgent plea

The BBC understands meetings will start soon amid fears that private sector partners may pull out of the project.

Last week, the MPs met Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, who scrapped the lines to Oldham and Rochdale, Tameside and south Manchester.

Mr Darling stopped the scheme in July saying it had become too expensive, even though �200m had already been spent preparing for it.

The MPs hope a compromise version of the plan - reducing its scope - might be agreed.

The latest of several public protest rallies took place last Friday.

A further protest rally is scheduled to take place in Manchester city centre on Thursday.