I have had the pleasure of meeting the Conservative Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Minister for Merseyside, Chris Grayling, on numerous occasions during the past two years.

On a range of issues, elected mayors; bringing more civil servants jobs to Liverpool and protecting businesses from additional tax burdens; Chris and I have been at one.

However, his recent comments about the prospects of a Tram for Liverpool were extremely disappointing to the city’s business leaders.

His view that public expenditure will be squeezed from 2011 onwards is indisputable. However, his assertion that the Tram project was not delivered here because the wrong route was chosen (Liverpool – Kirkby) is highly contentious.

Not only were there good social and economic reasons for this route to be prioritised, but it was always seen as the first of THREE lines that would be constructed to offer the Liverpool city region a modern transport system fit for the 21st century.

For the business community, this is a crucial issue on a number of levels. Getting in, out and around the city region would be so much easier; such a project would provide Liverpool with a truly modern European feel; and it would demonstrate to all that Liverpool can deliver on major infrastructure schemes.

A significant amount of investment has already been made in respect of the Tram project, and although it may be fair for a future Tory Government to cry poverty as they battle to get public borrowing under control, it is disingenuous for them to pretend that the scheme will not go ahead as a result of a local decision on which route should be given the green light first.

Liverpool needs all three lines. The debate should be about how we raise the cash to pay for that – not about which route should be completed first.

Downtown Liverpool in Business will be at the forefront of any campaign to get the Liverpool Tram scheme up and running.

Look out for further details in the coming weeks.