The plans have been given the go-ahead

Merseytravel hopes work on Line One, an 18km route from Liverpool King's Waterfront to Kirkby town centre, will start in April 2005.

Transport Minister David Jamieson said the new tram would give "a real boost to the image of Merseyside."

His decision to approve the plan comes after a 10-week public inquiry held earlier this year.

The scheme, which also includes a park and ride facility in Croxteth is subject to funding approval from the government.

We had always hoped and planned for a decision in December 2004 Neil Scales, Merseytravel

Mr Jamieson continued: "This new tramway would bring clear transportation, regeneration and socio-economic benefits to the area.

"This scheme provides for a high quality public transport service which would serve some of the country's most deprived areas as well as some important new development sites."

Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel, said: "We have been given the powers to build the tram in half the time it has taken for any other tram scheme in the UK.

"We had always hoped and planned for a decision in December 2004.

"We realise this was very ambitious, but government officials have worked incredibly hard to meet the target."

Merseytravel also planned two further routes, Line Two which ends at Whiston Hospital, and Line Three that ends at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.