Minister confirms new Tram funding during visit
Gordon joined the new Transport Minister Sadiq Khan, along with fellow MP Joan Humble and Council and Blackpool Council officers, as he came to the Town Hall to announce the final full approval from Government to fund the complete upgrade of the Tramway, sixteen new trams, extra stops and a new depot. The £100 million project has had the Government contribution increase from the original £60 million to £68 million with £32million from Lancashire councils, and the transport minister - on his first official visit since his appointment at the beginning of June - praised the contribution of the town's two Labour MPs in lobbying and saving the tramway.
Gordon comments "It was great to have Sadiq Khan the new Minister to come to Blackpool in person to announce the final approval for the schemes which we won in principle 15 months ago. It was won after a lot of hard lobbying and it's a dramatic sign of the Government's faith in Blackpool and its regeneration. I was able to show the Minister how the upgrade will fit in with the major redevelopment of the prom and sea defences now moving towards North Pier - also with £85 million of Government money - and the new Tower Headland with funds from the Government's 'Sea Changes' scheme - which I personally lobbied Ministers to introduce."
"I will be keeping in close touch with the project as it proceeds; I have already worked with local disability groups to make sure the Tramway Managers consult them as the project proceeds - and the fact that the new stops and the new Bombardier trams with their low floor - will be disabled accessible - is great too."
"I know there are some concerns about the Council's current proposals for sitting the new tram depot at Starr Gate - I have been asking council officers questions on this and will have further points to raise. The overall scheme though will be an enormous boost for both visitors and residents - it will keep some of the historic trams reflecting the proms heritage going back to 1885 but deliver a 21st Century tram service which will encourage further investment and a signal of progress across Blackpool and the Fylde. I am proud to be part of this one-in-a-generation decision."
Government has already been giving emergency funding to keep the trams on the track - this approval will now enable work to begin on the full upgrade this June with a target date of April 2012 for completion.
