Merseytravel (M/T.) advertise for applicants to build the 2nd Tram Line without the Government agreeing to fund Line 1 in Kirkby. So what you may ask? No one can stop them! Marx (Mark) Dowd has just been levered into the Chairmanship of M/T by St Helens and Knowsley Labour Zealots, anti-democratic though it is (see previous article on trams) he's back at £65000 per year. Yes a Labour Cllr on £65000; to be fair he is Chair of three Companies- M/T. Tunnel and Ferries and he does have to sign to transfer £3m from the Tunnel Reserves to M/T. to cover the cost of Trams Propaganda to £25m!! With another £12m that is £37m (inc. Line 2).

He was deselected by his own ward but forced into Old Swan in a safe seat and despite the Lib-Dems winning overall more seats the Knowsley Labour Machine made sure that enough was given to a Wirral Tory Cllr. to vote for Marx Dowd and so to become once again Chairman Marx. How does this connect with losing 500 jobs you may ask?

In the recent Public Inquiry on M/T Line 1 to Kirkby ( 2004) M/Ts General Scales admitted that many jobs could be lost in Glenvale and a large section of Glenvales Bus Depot would be compulsorily purchased to enable Line 1 to operate. Chairman Marx Dowd and General Scales of M/T issued the Public Notice for Line 2 and agreed Line 3 all in all killing off a local Kirkby Bus service and as a result a 500 job loss. The only way this can be done is with a Government Subsidy of some £170m for Line 1 and a further £200m for 2 and circa £250m for 3: about say £620m! near enough to choke a donkey, no not you Marx sit down! Given that a private Company is waiting to do the same without any way near this Huge amount just think what Glenvale and Kirkby People could do for transport in the area with £120m i.e. one fifth of £620m - schools accessible to adults for E.U. funded education elderly bused to shops, mothers with kids taken to swimming or the beach and so on.

Anyway lets get back the plot: The European Union has this year stopped all subsidies on Trams, just like that!. This means Marx and Scales will not be allowed to get the £170m towards their Line 1 or so it is thought (the current opinion) so where do they turn to get the money? ask no other than M/Ts , M/s Rowlands "from the Tunnel tolls increase silly We can do what we want with Tunnel money now that the Bill was passed" Where will you get the extra £150m to match the total cost of Line 1 then ? "I have just told you from the Tunnel increase silly Billy's"

So there it is Chairman Marx and General Scales of Merseytravel carry on as if nothing has happened Knowsley Labour vote for The Loss of 500 Jobs an increase in the Tunnel Tolls to pay for the trams and the reinstatement of a £65000 Chairman. Watch this space for the news!