Thank you for raising this issue and for all the comments posted. Below is the current position statement from LCC's cabinet member for highways and transport.
Regards, Peter Buckley (County Councillor for St Annes North)
_______________

Tram extension schemes such as that proposed through this petition and likewise under construction between the Promenade and Blackpool North railway station usually require substantial funding contributions (up to 90%) from central government through competitive bidding processes. Currently, the funding mechanisms in place to 2020/21 are Local Growth Deals and the Department for Transport's Large Local Major Transport Schemes programme. The Promenade to Blackpool North extension is partly funded through the Lancashire Local Growth Deal, agreed between the Government and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership in July 2014.

Unfortunately, both the Local Growth Deal and Large Local Majors programmes are fully committed. It is not clear whether the Government intends to continue with either programme beyond 2020/21 and if not, what replacement mechanisms the Government will put in place. This will require a Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), which the county council does not anticipate taking place until next year. Furthermore, the Government is progressively linking transport infrastructure investment to wider policy agendas, particularly housing delivery and the Industrial Strategy published in November 2017.

Once the Government's intentions about future funding programmes become clearer, the county council's Cabinet will decide whether to commit further (potentially significant) resources to developing any tram extension, including Outline Business Case preparation.

I trust this information clarifies the current position.

County Councillor Keith Iddon
Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport
26 November 2018