A brief history of Supertram

This would have been a three-line, 17-mile system with 50 stations. It received provisional government approval in 2001. It was specifically for corridors ill-served by the heavy rail network, and around 40 trams, capable of carrying up to 200 passengers, would have been needed.

Most of it (75%) would have been public sector-funded - by central government, the Passenger Transport Executive, and Leeds City Council. The balance would have come from private sector money.

The idea was for a four-year building programme, with an operating concession granted for 27 years. The final contract was due to have been awarded in summer 2003.

The northern branch would have served the universities and Headingley, running to a park and ride site at Lawnswood. The eastern branch was to have run via Burmantofts and St James Harehills to Seacroft and Whinmoor. The southern arm would have served Hunslet, Belle Isle and Middleton, offering park and ride near the motorway at Tingley and Stourton.

In the city centre, trams were to have linked to the bus and rail stations and shopping areas. Most of the double-track route (75%) would have been segregated. The stops would have had level boarding at their platforms.

Originally, four consortia were encouraged to pursue bids, following pre-qualification interviews. Two soon dropped out, leaving the final shortlisted bidders as Airelink (partners included Arriva and Siemens) and Momentis (FirstGroup, Bombardier, Bouygues and Jarvis).

By 2004, disquiet about rising costs had caused the scheme to be scaled back. According to Metro Director General Kieran Preston, money could have been saved by finding new solutions to engineering problems, and by postponing a 7km (4.3mile) stretch of the southern line so that it would run only from the city centre to Stourton park and ride.

Years later, interviewed by the Yorkshire Post, Preston said he was “bitter about not getting Supertram” and “furious” with the DfT’. Of Alistair Darling, he added: “I’ve met him many times before, but I wouldn’t… speak to him now.”

Preston claimed that the Leeds business case was actually stronger than for the Nottingham or Manchester tram.

“But instead of saying ‘we can’t afford it’ - because they [the Labour government] had to spend all their money putting the railways right - they distorted the figures and said we [Leeds] couldn’t afford it.”