EXPERTS in public law have told Merseytravel it has a strong legal case against the Government following the decision to withdraw £170m in Whitehall funding for the Liverpool to Kirkby tram link.
Work would have started before Christmas had the plug not being pulled, said Neil Scales, Merseytravel Director General.
The continuing tram link saga will move to the High Court in a few weeks, with Merseytravel hoping for the scheme to be revived.
In a letter to local politicians and business organisations last night, Mr Scales said: "On the basis of advice that we have a strong case from leading public law QCs, we have lodged papers with the High Court seeking to overturn the decision to withdraw funding."
* Breach of a commitment that £170m would be made available by Government for the Line 1 scheme, if certain conditions were met.
* Acting unreasonably, by imposing a new condition in October 2005 requiring all the project costs to be underwritten by Liverpool City Council and Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council;
* Failure to take into account the resources available to Merseytravel to fund the scheme, without unlimited underwriting by the two councils;
* Failure to act consistently with the Transport Acts 1968 to 2000 which make Merseytravel, and not district councils, responsible for developing, managing and funding public transport projects on Merseyside.
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