Supertram report highlights how government delay cost millions

4.24.00pm GMT Thu 15th Nov 2007

Cllr Stewart Golton

The National Audit Office has published a report today that reveals for the first time the chain of events that led to Leeds's failed Supertram bid.

The report highlights how the government delayed announcing that they had shelved the scheme for nine months, despite having effectively decided in February 2005 that Leeds Supertram would not be going ahead.

Cllr Stewart Golton, deputy leader of the Leeds Liberal Democrat group, has slammed the government for playing party politics with public money.

Cllr Stewart Golton (Lib Dem, Rothwell):

"This report clearly implies that the government delayed its announcement on Supertram because of the effect they knew it would have on the polls.

"By February 2005 it was clear they had made their mind made up, but they chose not to let the city know given how vulnerable some of the majorities of their MP's were locally.

"In the meantime millions of pounds of public money was wasted trying to convince them to rescue a scheme they had already decided to ditch.

"The government acted with the basest political motives imaginable. They acted with arrogance and utter contempt to our city's interests.

"All the city's MPs need to join together in condemnation of this appalling waste of public money."