Burnham in battle for free tram passes for NHS staff
MAYOR SAYS HE IS WAITING FOR GOVERNMENT TO HELP TRAM NETWORK
HOPES of a free tram pass for NHS workers during the coronavirus pandemic have stalled due to wrangling with government over Metrolink funding, Andy Burnham has said.
On Friday, Conservative MPs wrote to the mayor calling on him to provide the discount for frontline workers, as has happened on other modes of transport.
However Mr Burnham says that until ministers provide a bail-out for Metrolink – which gets no subsidy and has seen a huge drop in revenue since the lockdown began – that is going to be a struggle.
The M.E.N. understands the region’s tram system has seen a drop in fare income from £6m a month to a few hundred thousand pounds in recent weeks, as journeys have dramatically reduced due to government advice.
But while rail and bus operators have received some government support, light rail networks in areas such as Greater Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool have not yet had a similar package.
Insiders said there appeared to have been a hold-up while fraught negotiations take place between Transport for London and the Treasury over financial support for the tube.
Last week, however,
Tory MPs in Greater Manchester - led by Heywood and Middleton’s Chris Clarkson - wrote to Mr Burnham calling on him to provide free tram passes for key workers, highlighting moves by the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, Andy
Street. “As I am sure you will appreciate, we are living in unprecedented times,” wrote Mr Clarkson. “Now more than ever we are reliant upon the dedication of the incredible people who work in our NHS. I note with interest the actions taken by the West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, in facilitating an agreement with transport operators to provide free travel for NHS staff.
“My colleagues and I are calling on you to replicated this excellent initiative in Greater Manchester.”
However in his response, Mr Burnham said that while he agrees ‘in principle,’ funding such a move is tricky.
He has already directly asked transport minister Baroness Vere whether or not there will be a specific funding package made available to provide free transport to NHS workers nationally, he said, but has been told there will not be one.
He added that the West Midlands tram network is funded in a different way to Greater Manchester, meaning the two cannot be compared.
“In the absence of government funding, I have looked at whether we could do more to help NHS staff from local funds,” he added.
“The difficulty here is that we are still waiting for confirmation from the government of a funding package to support Metrolink, which has suffered a huge drop in revenue.
“Their latest communication has suggested that Greater Manchester should make a local contribution to cover Metrolink losses.
“We don’t know if London are being asked to do the same but, if the government were to insist on this, it would of course remove our ability to take discretionary action to support NHS and social care staff.
“The West Midlands transport system is funded and operated in a different way to ours so it is not always possible to compare one with the other.”
Mr Burnham says he is continuing to push ministers on the issue, adding that he ‘welcomes any support from MPs of all parties to press government’ for a national free travel offer. The Department for Transport has been approached for comment.