One of Europe's most prominent transport experts has expressed surprise that Birmingham still does not have a light rail network.

Ton Kaper, passenger transport boss in The Hague, Netherlands, said the city and surrounding conurbation was suffering from political decisions made in the 1980s, when government transport subsidies were cut before new infrastructure was in place.

Mr Kaper was in Birmingham for a committee meeting of the International Association of Public Transport, a Europe-wide transport body currently vice-chaired by West Midlands executive Centro.

He said he had not been able to see much of the conurbation's transport systems but admitted the lack of a light-rail network was noticeable.

"Surprise is the word I think," he told The Birmingham Post.

"A city the size of Birmingham should have a light-rail system without any problem, it is certainly big enough to accommodate it.

"I have seen the Metro system from Wolverhampton to Snow Hill and I think it is a shame that it ends at the railway station because light-rail is very good at penetrating the city centre.

"I believe there are plans to extend the metro line into the city centre, to Victoria Square and so on and I think this is a very good idea."

The Midland Metro network has two new lines - one through central Birmingham and one serving Brierley Hill - waiting to be built.

Birmingham City Council has still to announce whether or not it backs the street-level trams or if it is to press ahead with an underground system of its own.

Mr Kaper recognised the difficulties UK authorities had in building major transport schemes.

"In the UK, you have had deregulation and privatisation ending big transport subsidies since the mid 1980s and that means you have all the advantages of not paying so much tax.

"But it also means it is difficult to build major transport projects, it needs longstanding relationships between operators and authorities.

"I would say that it is unfortunate that the UK deregulated and privatised before major new pieces of infrastructure were in place for cities like Birmingham."