THE North West Regional Assembly and the UK's largest public transport trade union have added their voices to the protests to win back Government funding for Metrolink's phase three development.

Leader of the assembly, Bury councillor Derek Boden, said: "Metrolink's expansion is key to the future economic competitiveness and sustainability of not just Greater Manchester but the whole of the region.

The Northern Way Growth Strategy calls for a vision for a stronger northern economy, how can we hope to achieve this when we suffer setbacks like this?

"Successful cities need effective, integrated transport systems; Metrolink provides this. The north west cannot allow its transport requirements to be continually overlooked."

Meanwhile, the Transport and General Workers Union, the only recognised union at Serco Metrolink, has said such is the importance to Manchester of the campaign it is only right that the union should play an equally high profile role as all the other key local partners.

T&G regional secretary Dave McCall, in a letter to Councillor Tony Burns of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, emphasised the union's strong support for the phase three development on the basis of the boost to construction and transport jobs as well as the overall "obvious and beneficial impact on the north west economy".

Bobby Morton, the T&G regional industrial organiser responsible for the union's membership at Serco Metrolink, commented: "Many people look to Manchester's tram system as a model for how to run systems. That has been achieved by vision as well as hard work and investment.

"The T&G is strongly committed to Metrolink as a key part of an integrated system which we believe the Government should be backing with enthusiasm."

The campaign was launched last month after the Government rejected the phase three development of Metrolink involving the system's extension to Rochdale, Oldham and South Manchester.