For several years I’ve been working on how to bring a tram route initially and then network to Southwark.

When Ken Livingstone was Mayor of London he said he supported them but only gave enough money to keep a project team employed who never got to build anything. When Boris Johnson became London Mayor he canned that team and the pretence of TfL tram in southwark was over.

So how to make this happen privately?

Talking to investment banks one key requirement is certainty that their investment would have a chance to produce a secure return. The greater the security the cheaper money can be borrowed at.  But building track on public roads could allow other to duplicate routes.

So the planning advice we’ve received has really helped nail this. First when the Lib Dems led Southwark Council we ensured the Core Strategy stated it was pro trams.

Second, any tram network using the public highway would need planning permission. It would deal with where plant is located, designed, etc. With granted planning permission subsequent applications would have to show how they would integrate with existing schemes and tracks. It doesn’t give a monopoly but this does give more certainty that practically investment will be more secure.

The advice wording is “But any application will be judged on its practical merits. IF a planning application is granted and results in a tram being built and running, then any subsequent planning application for a tram may not be practical due to that prior granted tram planning application”.

A useful step forward.