INQUIRY INTO LIGHT RAIL AND THE CITY REGIONS

That this House supports the finding of the inquiry into light rail and the city regions conducted by the All-Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group which concludes that modern trams support the transformation of the urban realm and contribute to giving cities the greener and more efficient transport systems they need; and calls on the Department for Transport to act on the recommendations of the report, in particular that the Department should provide greater leadership on light rail by providing a clear national policy, funding framework and centre for expertise, remove biases against modern trams from the appraisal process, and assist in ensuring that the high charges levied by utilities companies in relation to the construction of modern tram schemes are addressed.