TRAMS linking rail and ferry services with people’s homes could soon return to Merseyside, with support for the project having been reignited in a notice of motion by local councillors.

Plans for Streetcars – said to be like trams but lighter, cheaper and more flexible – were initially mooted by the huge Wirral Waters development project around Birkenhead’s East Float over five years ago.

But this week, support for the scheme has picked up again, with Green Party councillor Pat Cleary submitting a notice of motion saying it will be “important” if plans for Wirral Waters – the brainchild of developers Peel – are to achieve their “full potential”.

The initial plans for the Streetcar said it would use the existing heritage tram system, and “reusable” track, providing a “feeder” service into the Merseyrail network, also linking to the Mersey Ferries.

It would connect locations like Hamilton Square Station, Woodside Ferry Terminal, Birkenhead Park Station, Birkenhead North Station, Bidston Moss and East Float.

In the notice of motion called ‘Sustainable Transport for Wirral Waters’, it said the benefits of the Streetcar would include:

  • Creating a sustainable, low-carbon transport infrastructure for Wirral Waters
  • Minimising dependency on cars and associated land use, freeing up more land for residential development and easing pressure on the green belt
  • Linking existing rail and ferry transport hubs, creating an integrated public transport system “that will support residential, commercial and tourism” purposes

The notice added: “Council therefore believes that progress on the Streetcar scheme is important if Wirral Waters is to achieve its full potential for the people of Wirral and that effective cooperation between all relevant parties including Peel Holdings, Wirral Council and Merseytravel is essential to its future success.”

The notice is set to be discussed by full council on October 15, and asks the authority to consider recent events including December’s Paris Summit on climate change and the Zero Emission Vehicle Summit in Birmingham that took place last month.

At that conference, world leaders signed a declaration setting out the aim of “building a smart infrastructure network, planning for the cities of the future today, embedding zero emission infrastructure into the fabric of our urban and rural communities, and enabling provision where consumers need it”.

The notice of motion was seconded by Liberal Democrat councillor Allan Brame, and added: “Council believes that this ought to enable and encourage the development of new settlements where these principles are embedded and designed in from the outset.”

According to Wirral Waters, the project would be reminiscent of Birkenhead’s strong links to the mode of transport – it was reportedly the first place in Europe to have a street tram – running from Woodside to Birkenhead Park in August 1860.

They stopped operating in 1937, but part of the line was revived again in the form of a heritage tramway in 1995, by the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society, which renovated its museum at the start of this year.

Wirral Waters bosses say trams will be put at the “heart” of the project, and in doing so would join schemes in Salford’s MediaCityUK, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Portland and Auckland.

The Streetcar has already had the support of Government, and “numerous other agencies”.

The notice of motion to council ended by asking leader Cllr Phil Davies to meet Merseytravel and Peel to review progress on the scheme, as well as determine how the council can help it.

It comes after £90m proposals for Wirral Waters One – 500 homes around East Float and Dock Road hoped to be a “catalyst” for other schemes – were approved by the council’s cabinet last week.