HOPES for a multi-million-pound "supertram" to tackle Hampshire's traffic jams have been revived by a Tory plan to review the failed scheme.

Conservative grandee Michael Heseltine has been asked to investigate whether the shelved tram project could be resurrected under a future Conservative government.

The former Deputy Prime Minister will carry out his work as part of a wide-ranging review into how the Tories could revitalise Britain's cities.

In 2004 the government pulled the funding from a light rail link between Fareham, Gosport and Portsmouth after costs rose from £100m to £270m.

The south Hampshire scheme, aimed at removing three million cars a year from the congested M27 and A32, was 14 years in the planning and had already cost taxpayers £10m.

Conservative leader David Cameron, who has put building new urban "rapid transit" transport schemes at the heart of his green agenda, said: "I have asked my Cities Task Force to look at all the schemes across the country we could invest in, to help

people get around in our cities.

Role to play

"Let's look at mass transport schemes. I think tram systems have a real role to play and I'm proud the Conservatives have invested in the past in tram systems."

A Conservative spokesman told the Daily Echo that Hampshire's scrapped network would form part of this review.

Failed schemes in Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool are also likely to be included.

Peter Viggers, Conservative MP for Gosport, said his party's investigation might tempt the government to look again at the Hampshire scheme.

He told the Daily Echo: "I hope that the Conservative party's interest will not only lead to a Conservative government giving renewed support for this, but might even lead to the present government giving it renewed consideration."

Mr Viggers said a tram scheme was the only way of solving the transport problems on the Gosport peninsula.

"Hampshire County Council names that scheme as the most viable anywhere in the UK. It is thought to have a viability factor which is well within the government's guidelines."

Last month the Daily Echo revealed that an influential group of MPs will investigate overhauling the way large transport projects are funded following the failure of the Hampshire tram.