Cardownie is 'optimistic' trams are back on track

Published on Tuesday 29 March 2011 16:34

ONE of the most outspoken critics of the Capital's trams has said there is now reason to be "optimistic" about the future of the project.

Deputy council leader Steve Cardownie, who has previously called for the project to be scrapped, said there was renewed hope that a deal could be reached between tram firm TIE and its contractors.

Councillor Cardownie, leader of the anti-tram SNP group on the council, said he had been briefed on recently concluded mediation talks by TIE chairman Vic Emery and Sue Bruce, the council's chief executive.

He said the meeting had shown him there was now "room for optimism" that a deal could be reached.

It is understood the work of the American mediator is now finished after a series of talks were concluded at the exclusive Mar Hall hotel outside Glasgow earlier this month.

TIE and its main contractor, Bilfinger Berger, are now attempting to thrash out a deal which would see the tram line built from Edinburgh Airport to St Andrew Square.

Cllr Cardownie said: "All the leaders got a report from the chairman of TIE last week and he told us what he could.

"There is room for optimism. My understanding (of the mediation talks] is that things were carried out in a businesslike and friendly fashion without the antagonism that's dogged other discussions. Hopefully people will be able to move on and get something out of this because the city deserves it."

In a joint statement issued at the end of the talks earlier this month, TIE, the council and the BSC consortium said the meetings had been "very constructive", helping to establish a "mutual understanding of the key issues impeding progress".

The two sides are now thought to be working through the issues identified during mediation, raising fresh hopes that the long-running stalemate could be coming to an end.

However, it seems unlikely that any deal will be reached prior to the Scottish elections, which take place on May 5.

Councillor Jeremy Balfour, the leader of the Tory group on the council who was also present at the briefing with Mr Emery, said he was more cautious.

He said: "We have to wait and see. Clearly, some progress has been made during the talks but we will see what that leads to. It's still too early to tell how constructive the talks were and there's a lot of work still to be done."

A spokeswoman for the tram project added: "As the joint statement from all parties stated recently, everyone involved in the mediation process is working towards the successful delivery of the project."