CAMPAIGNING MPs are meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday in a bid to save plans to extend the Metrolink in Greater Manchester.

Last week the Manchester Labour MPs met Transport Secretary Alistair Darling, who in July said he would scrap lines to Oldham and Rochdale, Tameside and south Manchester.

They hope Mr Blair will set up a working party to see if the project can be resurrected.

The latest of several public protest rallies took place last Friday.

Mr Darling stopped the scheme, saying it had become too expensive, even though £200m had already been spent preparing for it.

The MPs fear that potential private investors will lose interest before the end of the year if urgent action is not taken.

They hope a compromise version of the plan - reducing its scope - might be agreed.

A further protest rally is scheduled to take place in Manchester city centre on Thursday.

People can register support for Metrolink Phase 3 by email via the GMPTE www.gmpte.com or writing to 'Get Our Metrolink Back On Track', GMPTE, Freepost, MR7116, Manchester, M1 9QL.