Centro fights for metro extension in Birmingham.
Jul 1 2010 by Paul Suart, Birmingham Mail
PUBLIC transport body Centro has vowed to continue to fight for a major extension of the Midland Metro line in Birmingham.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond announced last month that he was suspending proposals to build a new section of the tram route from Snow Hill to New Street station.
The project, which Midland public transport co-ordinator Centro would create 1,300 new jobs and boost the region’s economy by £50 million a year, had been approved by the previous Labour government two months before the General Election.
At Centro’s Annual General Meeting at Centro House in Birmingham, Geoff Inskip, Centro chief executive, said the group was working to ensure the scheme met the Government’s criteria for funding.He said: “All major schemes are on hold until the (Government’s) Comprehensive Spending Review in the autumn.
“The schemes we have in the region are all about regeneration and sustainability and we strongly believe they should meet the Government’s criteria.
“We have made the case repeatedly that we believe the Midland Metro business case continues to meet those criteria.”
Members at the meeting expressed concern that two other Metro schemes, in Newcastle and Manchester, were also being placed on the back burner.
Those projects and many others yet to receive final approval are all being postponed by the Government until the review is complete.
The decision was made as the Department for Transport looks to cut its financial support to local authorities for major transport schemes by £1.66 billion. That in itself forms part of the coalition government’s intention to make £6.2 billion savings in public expenditure as it bids to address a record budget deficit.
Centro did confirm that schemes which have been contractually approved will definitely go ahead.
These include advance works to the Midland Metro and options for the acquisition of new trams, Smartcards, Wolverhampton Interchange and New Street station.
