 A ROW over the routing of the new trams service could derail the £750m Paradise Street project, the developers claimed today. The transport scheme was called into question last week when city councillors demanded a lastminute re-route to bring forward a John Lennon airport link. Now there are fears that the tram row will delay the Paradise Street shopping development and deal a huge blow to 4,000 new jobs. Paradise Street cannot go ahead without a new bus station, and with the future of the city's local transport system uncertain, a question mark now hangs over the proposed terminus. Merseytravel director general and chief executive Neil Scales says if the tram system is scuppered the proposed new bus station will be far too small to cope with passenger numbers. Today business leaders urged all sides to put aside their differences and get Paradise Street back on track before the city suffers a second humiliation, just months after the collapse of the Fourth Grace. Rod Holmes, project director of property developer Grosvenor, said: "Any delays to the start of the new bus station at Canning Place, or to the demolition of the old Paradise Street bus station next year, could jeopardise the chances of the Paradise project being completed in 2008." Grosvenor estimates that twothirds of shoppers will use public transport to reach the development, giving the tram system crucial importance. The government has agreed funding for Line One to loop around the city centre and head to Kirkby but is still considering Line Two route to Whiston hospital via Edge Lane. A further third line is planned to branch through south Liverpool to the airport by 2010. City councillors now want Line Two and Line Three to merge, bringing an airport link by 2008. Mr Scales admitted he was "angered" by this, adding: "Lines One and Two come as a package and if Line One is jeopardised, how is traffic going to get to Paradise Street?" Cllr Peter Millea, executive member for regeneration, said: "It is not correct to say that the council is jeopardising the building of Lines One and Two, because the funding for Line Two isn't even in place yet." A Liverpool city council spokesman said: "We are continuing to work with Merseytravel and what we both want is the right tram for Merseyside." Timeline > > > | 
News RSS Feed