TRANSPORT Minister Derek Twigg has promised Merseyside a final decision on whether the Government will back the trams project within 48 hours.
Liverpool and Knowsley councils have pledged to underwrite the Merseytram project to the tune of £24m if it goes over budget, but the Government wants the authorities to effectively sign a blank cheque.
Merseytravel has offered to cover any losses over the £24m mark, but the Department of Transport appears reluctant to accept this solution.
Halton MP Mr Twigg summoned a delegation to London yesterday to discuss the issue and said a decision would be made in the next two days on whether the Government would release its £170m contribution to the scheme.
Leaders of the Merseytram project were in an optimistic mood as they returned to Merseyside last night and said the Government could not keep "moving the goalposts".
But the Merseyside delegation, which included three MPs George Howarth, Louise Ellman and Eddie O'Hara, insisted that it had done enough to cover all the Government's concerns.
Cllr Peter Millea, a member of Merseytravel and executive member for regeneration on the council, was part of the group which met with Mr Twigg and five of his advisers.
He said: "The Government went beyond moving the goalposts, they actually moved pitches.
"They don't seem to have realised that we are keeping up with them every step of the way. We have done everything they have asked for.
"We are not asking them for a penny more than the £170m. I fail to see how they could justify saying no."
News RSS Feed