Salmond ‘has ducked out’ of public probe into tram farce
First Minister Alex Salmond has been accused of dragging his heels over a public inquiry into Edinburgh’s tram project after failing to commit to any timescale in a private letter to the city’s council leader.
City leader Jenny Dawe wrote to Mr Salmond in September to say her administration was ready for a public inquiry into the troubled project.
But it has now emerged that Mr Salmond failed to commit to a timescale when he wrote back, saying only that he would call one “when the full circumstances can be examined”.
He added that the current situation “demands that the immediate focus should be on delivering the project”.
That has led to concerns that the inquiry will not take place until the project is completed, which is currently scheduled for 2014. Critics say this means more risk of information being lost and a chance that the same mistakes will be made on other major projects, such as the new Forth crossing.
Councillor Lesley Hinds, transport spokeswoman for the Labour group, said: “I think he is ducking out of having a public inquiry. If you take 2014 as ‘delivering the project’, does that mean we will not have a public inquiry until 2014?
“All parties are supportive of it and the public are as well, so let’s start discussions now about how it will be done, who will chair it and when it will happen.
“As time goes on, you worry about if all the information is there; 2014 is three years off and surely we should get on with preparation and get a date for this now.
“Would an inquiry not influence how the work is done for the new Forth bridge, which is a massive project?
“Nobody would disagree that mistakes were made on the tram project so can’t we learn from that? The Forth bridge is the biggest transport project in Scotland and the tram project inquiry could inform that.”
Cllr Dawe published the letter from Mr Salmond in response to a written question at a meeting of the full council.
Cllr Jeremy Balfour, leader of the Conservative group, said: “I have said before and I will say again that we need a public inquiry as soon as possible and we need it before we start any other major projects in Edinburgh or indeed Scotland.
“I think a public inquiry would show that the SNP’s fingerprints were all over this project and I think it will show they were more behind it than they said they were.
“The First Minister, the Scottish Government and other ministers were very keen to see the tram and they wanted it to happen and I think the SNP don’t want an inquiry because they don’t want people to know that.”
When asked if she knew when the inquiry will happen, Cllr Dawe said: “I have not received intimation from the First Minister and it is entirely up to the First Minister as to when he calls an inquiry.”
Council officials are currently in the process of gathering “vast amounts” of information for the inquiry.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government will be delighted to hold a public inquiry into this project. We do not recognise the reference to 2014.”
mblackley@edinburghnews.com
Email to a friend
Print this page- Rangers takeover: Duff & Phelps threaten legal action against BBC
- Family mourn death of Glasgow ‘fight’ schoolboy
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Rangers administration: Fans fear Duff & Phelps claims could scare off Green
- Rangers takeover: triple penalty punishment enough, says Johnston
- Alistair Darling leads ‘No to independence’ fight over tea and biscuits
- Scottish independence: SNP flip-flops over Nato
- Scottish Independence: SNP ‘won’t be Yes campaign’s only voice’
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Scottish independence: ‘People here are best qualified to run Scotland’
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Comments
There are 31 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
mahatmacoat
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 12:49 PMThey seek him here, they seek there, they seek him everywhere. Try the picket line at Holyrood?
scot-admin
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 06:54 PMtest
Brit-free
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 12:21 AManti U K, who is "we" and what did "we" "win"?, you seriously need to go out and get laid as this imaginary "we" you keep going on about just screams LONELINESS ymmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......yeah thats right WE is the party i have been a card carrying member of for four decades ...the party i have held various office with...the party that wiped the floor with the unionists just five months ago ....i'm an old man now ....i dont really have to go out and get laid , do I ? .the spirit is definitely willing ., but the flesh is weak ....anyway .i've just got back from having a curry with my missus and some friends from her work and i'm just drying out , i'm totally full of Lamb Madras and Butter Chicken ...B T W ...we were all laughing at the desperation i was eliciting from the unionists ....you dont even know when you are being mocked ....maybe in your face sarcasm would penetrate your thickiness ...i'll try it tomorrow and see , you really are a try hard ... i find it effortless because the numbers are well on my side ......WE WON ........hey guess what ? ....YOU LOST
William Forbes
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 09:56 PMIs anti-UK (no. 25) actually Alex Salmond? Read it again and picture the man who would be President standing in Holyrood ranting like that. And the nom de plume – a dead give away!
Kon
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 09:20 PM25 anti U K, who is "we" and what did "we" "win"?, you seriously need to go out and get laid as this imaginary "we" you keep going on about just screams LONELINESS
Cagey
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 09:05 PMI don't think the SNP should have been in the Edinburgh Council administration given the high profile of the trams. That said it is for the London Parties to defend the trams project as they are the ones who pushed it through.
Brit-free
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 08:35 PMthe desperation of the unionists is palpable ....just saying " its the S N P s fault " doesnt actually make it their fault , you know ? stick you fingers in your ears and go la la la ....maybe May the sixth didnt really happen ......it did you know ....i was there and it was an absolute blast ....WE WON .....YOU LOST ....hold an inquiry ? we might , we might not .....its totally UP TO US ....get over it , you are powerless to do anything about what WE decide to do ....its called MAJORITY GOVERNMENT
William Forbes
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 08:18 PMFirst Minister commented: Ooops, sorry, the public enquiry actually took place yesterday. The judge (who was threatened with a funding cut) said it’s no the SNP’s fault – they never make mistakes. The full version of the public enquiry is available here: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- and he said, ---------------------------------------------------- to which she replied--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------it’s no the SNP’s fault---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------don’t let them know how we have c---ed up EGIP. Wheesht, dinae tell anybody ‘boot that----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------redacted----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------use the mushroom principle------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you are not satisfied that we have replied to your enquiry fully, you have the right to appeal. You should send your appeal to------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is also available in Gaelic, Irdhu, Braille or on a blank piece of paper. Yours, The Scottish Government “Free by twenty free”
The auld lies will nae wash any mair
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 06:47 PMLabour knows well that Scotland's First Minister has indicated that an Enquiry will be held once the project is likely to be nearing completion so as not cause further problems with that outcome. This is eminently sensible given that all energies should be focussed on getting the project completed as soon as possible with no more additional costs to the taxpayer. Although Labour would wish it to be different you can be sure that the Enquiry will find that the project was ill-conceived by Labour and voted through Holyrood for political gain by Labour and that the people Labour appointed to TIE are the real culprits when it comes to apportioning blame for the shambles that this became before the Scots government was forced to step in with a rescue plan in 2011. Labour know this very well and are only opportunistically huffing and puffing now because there is local council elections in May 2012 before the Enquiry exposes Labour's complicity in turning this project into yet another of their "Millenium Dome" and "Holyrood Parliament Building" financial disasters to the taxpayer.
Argungu
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 05:49 PMIt is essential that a Public Inquiry into Phase 1 of the Edinburgh Tram project takes place immediately. This should cover the period 2003 up to mid-2011 when Bilfinger Berger agreed to a new contract to complete the infrastructure works to York Place and go away without claiming damages against the Council instruction to complete only part of their contract. If and when the project proceeds to Newhaven in a future stage or stages then further Public Inquiries may take place if required. The current situation with tie largely disbanded and senior staff engaging in other projects wherever, accusations of document loss or destruction and confidentiality agreements with departed executives make this council tax payer concerned that the longer we wait for an inquiry the less likely we are to get to the truth. Perhaps that is why Parliament would like to delay any investigation into yet another failed high profile project in Edinburgh?
Hazelkaye
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 05:44 PM"Set the contracts"? They couldn't set a jelly!
Brit-free
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 04:26 PMdriven thru the parliament in 2007 as a reminder that we were a MINORITY government , the unionists puffed themselves up and imagined that they had put us in our place .....it now comes back to bite you in the posterier .....myself ,i would have used a fraction of the ruinous cost to extend the 22 bus service to the airport , and spent the remainder of the money on the Ballinluig junction amongst other remedial work on the A9 blackspots ....but i have the interests of Scotland foremost in my heart....unlike the British Parties who can only act to spite Scotlands interests at every turn
Brit-free
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 04:16 PMyesterday i was accused of costing the ruling party 1000 votes with every post , i dont believe i have EVER claimed my posts added votes ....you are either confused or lying about that ....not an unusual state of affairs for you ....still i understand that your total political impotence is driving you and the rest of your minority party voters absolutely NUTS .....thrashing about blindly ...its all thats left for you ...i'm just laughing at you .....your posts reek of the desperation that LOSERS always emanate , mine luxuriate in your helplessness to affect the political climate
VoteCarson
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 04:09 PMAnti UK John Swinney and Transport Scotland approved the construction contracts and the construction program for the Trams. Why did they not spot the dodgy contracts? John Swinney set condition that required CEC to submit 4 weekly detailed milestone payment applications, he paid 72% of the Grant money for only 22% of the works. Why do they pay so much money for so littel progress? The SNP are up to their neck in the mismanagement of this projects that is why they don't want a PI. Add in Cardownie being anti tram one day, for them the next, against them another day and so on and accepting the position of Tram Tsar the SNP are up to their neck in it!
Kon
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 04:02 PM15 anti U K , "anti-Scottish" "talking Scotland down" are no soooo overused that they are now just joke terms associated with the snp, the snp and followers use these terms when caught out or dont want to answer questions. The terms no longer have the meaning they once had, go on use the other tried and failed "100 more people support the snp thanks to you're comments" line, lol, you are such a predictable little troll.
Page 1 of 3
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.