PRESS RELEASE

5 February 2003

WE MUST KEEP TRAMS RUNNING SAYS OTTAWAY

Richard Ottaway, Conservative MP for Croydon South, has today reacted to reports that Croydon Tramlink is facing financial collapse.

Richard Ottaway says:-

"We should not jump to conclusions - Croydon Tramlink still has time to restructure their finances."

"The important thing is to keep the trams running and, in the event that we need a new operator, we must find a partner who is more realistic than TfL have been."

"I have always believed that Tramlink's numbers were over optimistic and the priority now must be realism."

Ends.

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