SCRAPPING a "cycle shuttle" on a proposed light rail link between Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham could shave around £30m from the costs of the project, according to Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber.

Doubts had been cast over the future of the £190m Light Rapid Transport system when it was revealed that an extra £100m was needed - raising the costs from £190m to £290m.

At a meeting of Hampshire's full council yesterday, Councillor Thornber said that scrapping the planned "cycle shuttle" could save just over one third of the additional costs.

He said: "There are ways in which we can decrease the increase.

"One we might look at is not to have a cycle shuttle attached to the LRT.

"We will be going back to the minister and saying we can shave the increase in costs by between £20m and £30m and, therefore, reduce the extra £100m by that amount.

"It will not affect the quality of the service which we have been determined shall be part of our business plan."

Last month, Portsmouth City Council's transport boss threw doubt on the future of the LRT Scheme.

He said he could not ask city taxpayers to stump up an extra £8m after it was revealed the costs of building the supertram had escalated.

Much of the extra cost is being blamed on making the tunnel under Portsmouth Harbour deeper to accommodate the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers.

The LRT is due to be operating by 2007 once a consortium to build the line is chosen and subject to a successful appeal for extra money from the government.