Letter: Our time to expand

It has been reported that the mayor of the Sheffield City Region (or South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined authority as it is now called), said that we need to secure the future of the Supertram before planning its expansion, but why not do both?

Leave planning for expansions to the constituent councils of the SCR, after all they know their areas better than the mayor.

Let them run consultations and plan routes, which councillors and MPs alike have been demanding for over a decade.

The mayor can deal with central government while councillors, MPs and the public discuss what is needed, then we can ask for the funding in one go, money for new trams, renewing the Supertram’s aging infrastructure and for new expansions throughout South Yorkshire.

An expanded tram system has been vital for Greater Manchester, who have expanded their tram system several times since the 1990s, both economically and politically, now it’s our time.

We’ve waited far too long, if the mayor can’t get this right he should resign as a candidate at the next mayoral elections in 2022 and let someone competent take over.

After all how can you truly be a mayor for all of South Yorkshire and be the MP for Barnsley Central?