The engineering project will be the biggest ever in Leeds

City council officials have worked with the passenger transport executive after the government suspended the scheme in face of spiralling costs.

Revised estimates were revealed to councillors and business leaders in Leeds on Monday.

Officials now want to meet ministers to get the go-ahead to start work.

Light rail finance

Council and transport managers said they had also achieved a "better balance" of sharing the scheme's risk between the public and private sectors.

The changes also met the recent National Audit Office recommendations for financing light rail schemes, said Mark Harris, leader of Leeds City Council.

Keiran Preston, director of Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, said postponing the south Leeds link would make "significant" initial savings.