One of the most astonishing policy reversals since Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott published his Transport White Paper two years ago is his new enthusiasm for light rail.
Transport 2010 notes that only Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and the West Midlands have lines in operation outside London - ’far fewer than in countries such as Germany and France. We will fund a substantial increase in the role of light rail in our larger cities ... over the next 10 years, backing schemes that offer good value for money.’
’Up to £3bn’ is allocated to fund ’up to 25’ new or extended lines by 2010, plus ’at least two other tram or guided bus schemes’ within the separate budget for London.
Included in the 25 are Tyne & Wear Metro’s Sunderland extension and Nottingham Express Transit, both under construction. The Department of the Environment, Transport & the Regions is already funding preparations for three Manchester Metrolink extensions to Rochdale, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Airport. Opening the final section of the Eccles extension on July 21, DETR Under-Secretary of State Beverley Hughes announced that a full funding package ’in excess of £500m’ had been secured from the private sector and Greater Manchester’s 10 district councils.
Together with the Docklands Light Railway branch to London’s City Airport, these lines will absorb £0·9bn, suggesting that £2bn is available for new projects outside London. Light rail lines ’currently under consideration’ are listed as ’Leeds, the West Midlands, Bristol/South Gloucestershire, Portsmouth and South Hampshire.’
