WITH reference to the recent article concerning GMPTE's decision to bring in trams from the San Francisco network to ease overcrowding on the Bury-Altrincham Metrolink line, may I say that this measure has been widely welcomed by daily users.

It appears from his comments that Councillor Tim Pickstone wants nothing but new trams for the system. If it were possible to bring in a new fleet of trams overnight, GMPTE would leap at the chance! Unfortunately the situation is not quite so simple to resolve.

Coun Pickstone points out that money has been found for new extensions and station improvements and asks why it can't be found for new trams. The simple answer to that question is that money has been found for new trams. Part of the Metrolink Phase Three package to extend Metrolink to many areas of the country, will include bringing new trams onto the network. One of the advantages of purchasing new trams in this way is that it capitalises on economies of scale, and by buying new trams as part of the multi-million pound package to expand the Metrolink network, we are saving millions of pounds.

However, these trams are not going to be delivered for a number of years and we have recognised the need to address the capacity problems in the meantime.

I would like to point out that when we negotiated funding for the Metrolink system with the Conservative Government of the day, we made a bid for 32 trams. Unfortunately, funding was made available for only 26 trams and GMPTE was in no position to refuse.

As patronage on the system has gradually increased and overcrowding has become a problem, GMPTE has investigated every option open to us to ease these problems, within our financial constraints. We have been granted £7.5 million by government to spend on improving capacity on the trams.

Buying brand new trams from scratch and to specification can take many years and we have chosen to take forward the quickest options to improve capacity as soon as possible. These options include bringing in the trams from San Francisco, and the plans to improve capacity on existing trams by inserting a centre section.

While I understand and share Coun Pickstone's frustration with overcrowding, we have to be realistic about the processes involved in addressing this. Unfortunately, it is not a problem that can be solved overnight.

GEOFF INSKIP,

Metrolink project

director, GMPTE.