For many people the promises of a tram system invoke a sense of déjà vu - Andrew Vine

It’s the same across Europe, even in towns a fraction of the size of Leeds, where it is part of everyday life to be able to jump aboard a tram to get to work or the shops and leave traffic jams behind.

But Leeds has been left stuck in a siding as the largest European city without a mass transit system by the failures of successive Conservative and Labour governments which promised funding for trams and then snatched the money away.

First it was John Major’s government in the early 1990s which pulled the plug, and then Tony Blair’s in 2005.

Now, 20 years on from that letdown Leeds is trying again. But for anyone with a memory long enough to recall the ins-and-outs of 35 years of broken promises and frustration at government U-turns, there is a sense of déjà vu about the whole thing.

Leeds and its surrounding areas, including Bradford, need trams if they are to develop their economies and reduce traffic clogging the roads. Politicians of all persuasions, and the people who vote for them, are in agreement about that.

The proposal put forward by West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin for a line linking Leeds and Bradford is a good start, though much more modest than the extensive network planned in the early 90s, which served suburbs as well as the city centre.

Where the déjà vu arises is in the reliance on the government stumping up the money to make trams a reality, in this case £1bn to get started in 2028, which is being pressed for as part of the summer spending review.

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, was at last week’s event in London where the case was made for trams. And although, as a Leeds MP, she is unquestionably aware of how greatly they would benefit the city, whether she will find the money is another matter entirely.

Every analysis of the public finances points to the government having to cut spending – and possibly increase taxes again – rather than embarking on costly new transport projects which have a nasty tendency to spiral out of control.

The need to save money may even become more acute when the effects of the trade wars sparked by US tariffs are fully felt and defence spending rises.

Against such a backdrop, Ms Reeves may feel unable to commit to £1bn, however much she might like to.

But if the government is serious about economic growth being its top priority, it must somehow find the money. Failing to do so will raise further troubling questions about what it is actually doing to help Yorkshire’s economy thrive.

New infrastructure spending to boost growth has so far been focussed firmly on the south-east, such as the new rail line between Oxford and Cambridge as part of the creation of a British silicon valley. This is only perpetuating the north-south divide in investment.

That has held Yorkshire back for decades, and committing money to a Leeds tram system would be a rare and long-overdue tangible sign that the government intends to start tackling regional inequality.

What must not happen is some sort of botched compromise, in which less than the £1bn is granted as a gesture of support.

We’ve travelled that track with high-speed rail, where relentless chopping of budgets ended up with the axing of the Yorkshire leg to Sheffield and Leeds, and then the link to Manchester.

The government has a chance here to bring about real improvements for both Yorkshire and the nation. Leeds drives much of our county’s economy and it makes no sense to deprive it of the beginnings of a new transport system that would enable it to do even more.

The benefits a tram system brings to a city are immense. We only need to look to Sheffield for proof of that. I was living and working there when the Supertram system was built and first ran, and it rapidly reinvigorated the city centre, helping to attract new businesses and jobs.

Equally importantly, it boosted Sheffield’s confidence and determination to forge a new future after a dismal decade of decline in traditional industries including steel and engineering.