 MERSEYTRAM can be delivered on budget and in time for Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations, the private consortium hoping to build and run it declared last night. That upbeat message came despite a new setback yesterday that appeared to further threaten the future of the project. Single remaining bidder MET (Mersey Express Tramway) announced that it would not be meeting today's latest deadline for submitting a bid for Line One to Merseytravel, asking for an extension until Tuesday. Last night, MET warned that Liverpool Council must officially back down from its position regarding a possible re-routing of Line Two from Whiston Hospital to John Lennon Airport. The council has already issued a statement to that effect, but the bidder said it could not rely on "a nod and a wink". It now hopes the council will clarify its position once and for all at a cabinet meeting tomorrow morning. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Post, MET project director Mike Flynn said: "We have asked Merseytravel for a further extension in the deadline so that we have time to consider what the council's official position on the tram is following their executive board meeting on Friday. "We have a bid prepared that delivers Merseytram within budget and in time for the Capital of Culture celebrations; but we are still unsure of what the council's official position is." Mr Flynn outlined why a bid could not be delivered today: "On September 17, the Council adopted as their policy an alternate route to the line two proposals presently with Central Government awaiting approval, and on which we had invested much time - over a year, money - several millions, and effort preparing our proposals. "The Council then issued a press release on October 6 and briefed the press that, if their new proposals jeopardised the project, then everyone should continue working on the original proposals. "But as far as we are aware the council's official position is still that which was agreed at the executive board on September 17. "We cannot invest many millions based on a nod and a wink from council officers. Whatever decisions are made by the council on Friday will materially affect our bid, if we are able to submit one at all." | 
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