Trams connecting Morden to Wimbledon and Sutton are a step closer to becoming a reality after receiving overwhelming support in a public survey.

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The proposed Tramlink extension.

Merton and Sutton councils conducted a joint survey and will now present their findings to Boris Johnson and Transport for London about the potential £240m tramlink extension.

The hoped-for route would split from the existing Tramlink stop at Morden Road and run via Morden town centre, Rose Hill town centre, St Helier Hospital and Angel Hill to Sutton town centre terminating near Sutton station.

The survey found 84 per cent of the 9,846 respondents strongly supported or supported the plans to extend the tram, boosting hopes the extension will be put ahead of rival bids for extensions to Crystal Palace or Bromley.

However, of the more than 10,000 people who completed the survey, just 2,078 were Merton residents, of whom 226 opposed the proposal.

Stephen Hammond Wimbledon MP said: "I have reservations about some of the proposal, for example the tram coming into south Wimbledon where roads are already very congested, but the proposal for Morden will make access into Sutton easier for people which is good news.

"I think Wimbledon is a place that people want to come to, particularly for the night life and shopping, which is a good thing.

"For better connectivity to Sutton this is a good proposal, particularly with the loop going to St Helier Hospital."

He added: "I'm clearly disappointed more people didn't have the chance to go to the consultation. I think we need to look at whether we inform people well enough in advance, but I do think this has been discussed in Wimbledon for the past 10 years so many people are well-versed on the subject."

Siobhain Mcdonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden said: "The tramlink has transformed lives in my constituency. It's given the possibility to work, allowing residents to travel quickly to major hubs, so any extension would get support from me."

She said she is also in favour of improving access to St Helier Hospital.

The proposed extension is predicted to bring major economic and social benefits to the borough and south London.

For Merton and Sutton this includes creating more than 10,000 long-term jobs, improving access to education, retail and leisure facilities, transport capacity growth and a reduction in car usage.

Councillor Stephen Alambritis, leader of Merton Council said: "The public have sent a clear message. They want an extension and they want it to go from Wimbledon via Morden and St Helier Hospital.

"We know from first-hand experience the positive benefits the tram service can bring, with the Croydon tramlink introduced in Merton a decade ago."

The council believes investment in Tramlink infrastructure could also directly support 2,100 temporary construction jobs in Sutton and Merton.

Over a 30-year appraisal period, although the impact would run beyond this, the council estimates there would be a more than £76m boost to the economic welfare of the two boroughs, at 2010 prices.